1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000
ERA OF MARIA THERESA, THE PALACE AND GARDENS OF SCHOENBRUNN

2
00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:14,040
The Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. With much of Europe under Habsburg rule, the

3
00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:19,640
palace is a testimony to the glory of the Habsburg royal family. Their empire was one

4
00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:24,960
in which the sun does not set. In the 17th century, the palace served as a stage for

5
00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:31,960
many historical events. Here in the great gallery, ladies danced gracefully across

6
00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:40,200
the room. The Congress of Vienna to decide the map of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars

7
00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:48,120
was held here among the great powers. The Congress doesn't walk, it dances is a famous

8
00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:55,240
phrase that describes how the Congress was conducted.

9
00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:02,680
Empress Maria Theresa was the only female ruler among the Habsburgs. Many ordeals awaited

10
00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:10,640
her when she ascended the throne in 1740 at the age of 23. But with strong inner strength

11
00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:17,960
and a shrewd mind, she fought her way among her political adversaries. She was a great

12
00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,320
woman. She had 16 children and sought to bring stability to her empire by arranging

13
00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:28,360
marriages with nobility from neighboring countries.

14
00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:34,040
A small room furnished with oriental items. Here, Maria Theresa held secret meetings with

15
00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:41,040
her advisors and made political decisions. There's a concealed door and stairs connecting

16
00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:47,320
to the room of her closest advisors, a reminder of the backstage of palatial politics.

17
00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:52,640
At the height of her reign, Maria Theresa also devoted her energy to refurbishing the

18
00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:59,320
palace. The exterior was colored in a yellow called Maria Theresa yellow. And the gardens

19
00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:06,320
were re-landscaped. Trees were neatly lined symmetrically.

20
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:12,000
Maria Theresa collected cultural artifacts from the world over. Here, on the wall, is

21
00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:19,000
a painting of wildlife in India. She decorated the palace with the beauties of the world.

22
00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:27,480
The Vieux Lacais room, which is said to have belonged to her husband, Francis Stephen,

23
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:34,480
became the Empress' favorite room.

24
00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:41,760
The leading actors have left the stage of history. With its stage curtains now closed,

25
00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,680
the palace stands in solemn quietness.