Stunning Indoor Gardens Worth a Visit in Vienna

Located at the site of a former Dutch botanical garden and on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, this magnificent structure was erected around 1881 on the instruction of Franz Xaver Segenschmids.

A staggering 113-meters (370.7-feet) long and 28-meters (91.9-feet) high, The Schönbrunner Palmenhaus is the last and largest of its kind on the European continent and has a central pavilion as well as two side pavilions.

With around 4,000 different species of plants from all around the world, including the Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands, South Africa, America, and Australia, it is a paradise of tropical wonders inside. One of the most notable is a 350-year-old olive tree, donated by Spain in the 1970s.

Regulated by steam water, three different climatic zones operate to keep the plants alive—a colder section is in the north area, a medium temperature in the central pavilion, and tropical temperatures in the south. The exterior, a staggering blend of iron and glass, fits perfectly into its pristine surroundings.

Palmenhaus Schönbrunn, Schlosspark Schönbrunn, Vienna, Austria

Considered one of the most beautiful Jugendstil greenhouses ever built, this 2050-square-meter (2451.8-square-yard) building houses a beautiful collection of plants and the exotic addition of a tropical butterfly house—a hugely popular tourist destination—at one end.

Located directly next to the impressive Hofburg Imperial Palace, the structure was designed by 1901 architect Friedrich Ohman and was originally intended to be used as a summer greenhouse for the Emperor.

Not just an Art Nouveau architectural masterpiece, the Palm House is also one of the most popular restaurants in Vienna, serving typically Austrian cuisine, such as strudel, schnitzel and traditional soups that can be enjoyed beneath the exotic plants.

Burggarten Palm House, Burggarten 1, Vienna, Austria