My group spent Sunday mainly wandering around Schönbrunn, the royal family’s summer residence and just one of the dozens of amazing public parks in the city. While beautiful, there’s only so much urban planning or smart city information to glean from a 300+ year old garden. I picked up a few things today though, notably the importance of art in public space. Almost every square in inch of Vienna has some sort of art, from sculptures in plazas to paintings above subway staircases (the subways also feature professional buskers, who audition for the right to play for an hour and a half at a time), and of course, architecture. One very interesting bit of art appeared in a display case attached to the already beautiful entrance to an underground parking garage, a regular site in the city. Many in my group find these to be extremely exciting, since they simultaneously protect historic buildings and landscapes while hiding cars and the ugly parking garages that come with them.

The Gloriette, one of the buildings at Schönbrunn, seen from the base of the hill it rests on.

Part of the Roman Ruins at Schönbrunn. Spoiler alert: they were built in 1778 by the Habsburgs.

The Palmenhause in the Schönbrunn gardens, built 1882.

An egyptian-style obelisk in Schönbrunn. Hieroglyphics are visible along the structure.

The Neptune Fountain at Schönbrunn.

The view of Schönbrunn Palace from the Gloriette.

The view of the Schönbrunn Palace from the inside of the Neptune Fountain.

My favorite of the statues in Schönbrunn, this depicts Minerva (the Roman equivalent of the Greek Athena) stopping Mars (Ares) from drawing his sword.

One of the obelisks at the entrance to Scönbrunn.

Part of the Roman Ruins at Schönbrunn.

The Palace at Schönbrunn.

An old building with a modern fifth floor. According to our guide, the bottom three floors are likely rented on various levels of subsidy, while the top floor is likely owned by its residents. This helps lower costs for everyone involved.

The Obelisk Fountain in Schönbrunn, found underneath the previously pictured obelisk.

It’s hard to see in this picture, but this fountain is entirely indoors, part of an alleyway/shopping area between streets. The windows above are most likely apartments, showing the prevalence of mixed uses.

These art pieces appear on the outer edge of the entrance to an underground parking ramp.

A lonely Bird rental scooter in the middle of sidewalk. Even Vienna isn’t free of the scourge.

Part of the Roman Ruins at Schönbrunn.

A tradition Tirolean building in Schönbrunn.

Some pastries in Cafe Central. I’ll be honest, this picture is to make people jealous.