Tourism Historic partnership: Himeji Castle to twin with Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace

City officials announced that Himeji Castle, a World Heritage Site and a beloved symbol of the city, is set to twin with Schönbrunn Palace in Austria. This partnership will be the fourth sister castle arrangement for Himeji Castle, also known as the White Heron Castle. The castle was twinned with Wawel Royal Castle in Poland in October, joining its sister castles in France and Wales. Schönbrunn Palace, a former summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty, is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city began discussions for this partnership following a visit from an Austrian government delegation to Himeji Castle in the spring.

The municipality will invite palace officials to the city during the Osaka Kansai Expo in spring to formally sign the partnership. Wawel Royal Castle was the world's first castle to be inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage site. Himeji officials began discussing the partnership after they were approached by the Polish ambassador to Japan with the suggestion in 2017. The partnership agreement was signed during a ceremony held online on 16th October.

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