At A Glance
The Job
Installing the traditional Christmas tree and the golden star-shaped entrance gate in the historic Court of Honor at Schönbrunn Palace, with media and spectators watching every move.
The Solution
Experienced operator René Lang and a PK 135.002 TEC 7 from our TEC range work as a well-rehearsed team, so Vienna's Christmas season can begin right on schedule in early November.
The Result
A smooth and perfectly timed setup of the 22-meter Christmas tree and the 12-meter entrance gate at one of Europe's most famous Christmas markets.
Preparing Schönbrunn For The Festive Season
While Vienna sleeps, a 22-meter spruce makes its way into the city. Its journey is short, about 20 kilometers from the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) to the Court of Honor at Schönbrunn Palace, where it will be the first big Christmas tree in Europe to go up this year. The spruce is more than 80 years old and was harvested by the Austrian Federal Forests. The foresters picked it out back in summer. In the Vienna Woods, where broadleaf trees dominate, a spruce this tall and evenly grown is a rare find. By tradition, it is set up in late October.
The market has two landmarks. One is the golden star-shaped entrance gate, 12 meters tall and weighing 8,800 kg. The other is the Christmas tree itself. move-it Transport & Logistik has been entrusted with installing both. The company relies on operators like René Lang and on the lifting technology of our TEC crane range.
The Right Partner For Specialized Transportation
move-it Transport & Logistik is a family-owned business based in Vienna. Its focus is container and special freight transportation, work that calls for know-how. The team pairs that know-how with modern equipment to handle complex transports. From standard containers to custom special freight, move-it handles it with its PALFINGER cranes.
Our customer currently operates a PK 135.002 TEC 7, a PK 48.002 TEC 7, and a PK 22.002 EH. For three years in a row, the transport and logistics experts have relied on the PK 135.002 TEC 7 for the prestigious project at Schönbrunn.
“move-it operates a carefully selected fleet of high-quality PALFINGER loader cranes. This allows us to respond flexibly to a wide variety of lifting and transport tasks. For complex tasks like the installations at Schönbrunn, we trust in the experience of our operators and the maximum precision of the PALFINGER TEC crane.”
Maximilian Weinrich, Managing Director, move-it Transport & Logistik
All Eyes On The Tree
Every step of the tree's journey attracts media attention. From the Vienna Woods to the Court of Honor, it is all documented. As a result, every movement counts.
Our equipment is involved long before the TEC crane goes to work. In the forest, a timber truck fitted with a PALFINGER EPSILON timber crane helps to load the freshly harvested spruce for its journey into the city, and lends a hand again when the tree is unloaded at Schönbrunn. The tree arrives at Schönbrunn in the early hours. At 6:30 a.m. on a cool October morning, the installation begins. An aerial work platform is on hand to support the crew, while the PK 135.002 TEC 7 takes on the main task: lifting the 22-meter spruce off the trailer and guiding it into its final position. Then the moment everyone has waited for. The spruce stands upright in the Court of Honor, and the countdown to Christmas in Vienna has begun.
“This job is about more than power. What matters is being able to guide the tree smoothly and precisely. With the PK 135.002 TEC 7, we can move the load under maximum control and position it carefully.”
René Lang, Crane Operator, move-it Transport & Logistik
The Crane The Christmas Market Relies On
The PK 135.002 TEC 7, also known as the PK 1350 TEC, is a heavy-duty loader crane from our TEC range. It is built for demanding lifting jobs, with up to 30 tons of lifting capacity, an outreach of up to 38.7 meters with fly jib, and control technology that keeps every movement controlled even at full reach, which is exactly what a 22-meter load at the end of the boom demands.
The P-Profile boom combines high rigidity with low deadweight. HPSC adapts the working range to the stabilizer setup, so the crane's full performance is available at every point of the stability curve. AOS keeps backswing to a minimum, which adds safety when a load as delicate as a fully grown spruce hangs on the hook.
Ready For Visitors From Around The World
In the days that follow, the same crane sets the golden star gate at the entrance to the market. The tree is up, the gate is in place, and Schönbrunn waits for Friday, November 6, when the market opens. Following the traditional blessing of the tree, its lights are switched on during the official opening ceremony, marking the start of the Christmas season at Schönbrunn.
The Christmas market at Schönbrunn is organized by Imperial Markets and welcomed close to one million visitors last season. And when the season ends, the spruce has one more job ahead. It is turned into food and playthings for animals, so nothing of the tree goes to waste.
A tradition lifted into place. With precision.
Explore The Installation
Success In Numbers
FAQs
Who is move-it Transport & Logistik?
move-it Transport & Logistik is a family-owned transport and logistics company based in Vienna, Austria. It specializes in container and special freight transportation and operates a fleet of PALFINGER loader cranes, including the PK 135.002 TEC 7, the PK 48.002 TEC 7 and the PK 22.002 EH. For three years in a row, move-it has handled the installations at Schönbrunn Palace.
What is Schönbrunn Palace?
Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna is the former summer residence of the Habsburg emperors and one of Austria's most visited landmarks. The palace and its gardens have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The Christmas market takes place in the Court of Honor, the large forecourt in front of the palace.
What is the Christmas market at Schönbrunn?
The Christmas market at Schönbrunn Palace is one of Europe's best-known Christmas markets, with 95 stalls offering food and traditional crafts. It is organized by Imperial Markets and welcomed close to one million visitors last season. The 2026 market runs from November 6, 2026, to January 6, 2027. Its two landmarks are the 22-meter Christmas tree and the 12-meter golden star-shaped entrance gate.
Why is the Schönbrunn tree called Europe's first Christmas tree?
The tree at Schönbrunn is traditionally set up in late October, earlier than at most other Christmas markets in Europe. In 2026 the spruce was harvested by the Austrian Federal Forests in the Vienna Woods and set up in the Court of Honor the following day. Its lights are switched on at the official opening ceremony of the market.
How big is the Christmas tree at Schönbrunn?
The 2026 tree is a spruce about 22 meters tall and more than 80 years old. The golden star-shaped entrance gate next to it is 12 meters tall and weighs 8,800 kg. Both are lifted into place by the PK 135.002 TEC 7 loader crane.
How is a 22-meter Christmas tree set up?
The spruce is harvested in the forest, loaded onto a timber truck with the help of a PALFINGER EPSILON timber crane and transported to Schönbrunn during the night. In the Court of Honor, the EPSILON crane helps to unload the spruce, and the PK 135.002 TEC 7 loader crane lifts the tree and guides it upright into its foundation, with an aerial work platform standing ready to support the crew. The whole installation takes place in the early morning.
What happens to the tree after the Christmas season?
After the market closes, the spruce is not thrown away. It is turned into food and playthings for animals, so the tree gets a second life once the festive season is over.
What is a loader crane?
A loader crane is a hydraulic crane mounted on a truck, usually behind the cab or at the rear, that folds for transport and extends to lift and place loads at the work site. Transport companies use them to load, unload and position containers, special freight and, as at Schönbrunn, a 22-meter Christmas tree.
What is the PALFINGER TEC range?
TEC is PALFINGER's redesigned loader crane range. Its cranes are built around the P-Profile boom, a polygonal extension shape that is both light and rigid, and use PALTRONIC 180 control electronics with the LX-6 control valve. TEC cranes can be fitted with Smart Control, PALFINGER's intelligent crane-tip control system. The range covers a wide spread of lifting capacities, from compact to heavy-duty cranes.
What is the PALFINGER PK 135.002 TEC 7?
The PK 135.002 TEC 7, also known as the PK 1350 TEC, is a heavy-duty loader crane from PALFINGER's TEC range. It offers a lifting moment of 109.3 mt, a lifting capacity of up to 30 tons and a hydraulic outreach of 21.9 meters, which extends to 38.7 meters with a fly jib. Key features are the P-Profile boom, the HPSC stability system and AOS.
What is a fly jib?
A fly jib is an additional hydraulic boom that is mounted on the tip of the main boom of a loader crane. It adds extra extensions and lets the crane reach much farther and higher, which is what long-reach jobs like the Schönbrunn tree call for.
What do HPSC and AOS stand for?
HPSC (High Power Stability Control) adapts the working range of the crane to the stabilizer configuration, so the available lifting capacity is used at every point of the stability curve. AOS (Active Oscillation Suppression) reduces backswing of the boom, which makes the handling of sensitive loads safer.
What is a PALFINGER EPSILON crane?
EPSILON is PALFINGER's brand for timber, recycling and construction cranes. EPSILON timber cranes are mounted on timber trucks and used to load and unload logs and whole trees, such as the Schönbrunn spruce in the Vienna Woods.
What is an aerial work platform?
An aerial work platform is a vehicle-mounted lift that raises a worker in a basket to a working position at height. At installations like the one at Schönbrunn, a platform lets the crew reach the upper part of the tree safely, for example to attach or release the lifting gear.
Where can I get a PALFINGER crane for my fleet?
PALFINGER cranes are sold, mounted and serviced by local partners. Use the dealer search on this site to find the nearest partner, who will configure the right crane for your truck and your lifting tasks.