Belvedere, Vienna, Austria - SpottingHistory.com

Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736), an accomplished general and art connoisseur, built the Belvedere palace as his summer residence. Today, the Belvedere, one of the most important baroque buildings in Austria, is located in Vienna’s third district. However at the time of its construction, the palace was located outside the city gates. Belvedere palace consists of two seperate buildings: the Upper and Lower Belvedere, which are connected by a stunning baroque garden. Enjoy views of Vienna’s first district from the Upper Belvedere. Today it houses not only Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present day, but also the world's largest Klimt collection, with the golden paintings 'The Kiss' and 'Judith' as the highlights. Masterpieces by Schiele and Kokoschka, as well as works of French Impressionism and the Vienna Biedermeier era round out the exhibition.

Prince Eugene’s apartments and staterooms are located at the Lower Belvedere. The feudal splendor of the palace’s aristocratic original owner is reflected in the Hall of Grotesques, the Marble Gallery, and the Golden Room. The Lower Belvedere and the Orangery are used mainly for temporary exhibitions, while the Palace Stables are now home to some 150 objects of sacred medieval art that blend with the Baroque ambiance in a compelling fashion.

The Palace Gardens are unfolding in strict symmetry along a central axis to the prestige building of the Upper Belvedere and features beautiful sculptures, fountains and cascades.

References:

austria.info

User Reviews

Quadwatch (2 years ago)
Truly a fantastic experience. Incredible architecture along with mind-boggling history make this place truly magic. To top it all off, you get to gaze upon the masterful works of Gustav Klimt, whose expertise in the realm of art is absolutely stunning. "The Kiss" brought me to my knees, and it will do the same to you!

Raffaele Murgia (2 years ago)
The Belvedere is a historic building complex in Vienna, Austria, consisting of two Baroque palaces (the Upper and Lower Belvedere), the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the third district of the city, on the south-eastern edge of its centre. It houses the Belvedere museum. The grounds are set on a gentle gradient and include decorative tiered fountains and cascades, Baroque sculptures, and majestic wrought iron gates. The Baroque palace complex was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy. ??

Amit Aharoni (2 years ago)
Great museum with very nice displays. There’s an audio tour with two options: the long tour, and the short one. The long tour is really long, I enjoyed it though. Those who want a quicker view can take the short one and still enjoy the displays. No pictures allowed, so no use to take your cameras. It’s suggested to order the tickets before, even though when we arrived we didn’t wait a lot in line.

T C (2 years ago)
I recommend you to buy your ticket online. Otherwise you should wait about 2 hours in a long queue. I had to wait but worth it. It is amazing palace. Interior and exterior architecture are wonderful. Not just you will see Klimt, I am sure that you will discover great painters here. Do not forget to see botanical garden.

Sandrat61 (2 years ago)
Somewhat chaotic at the entrance, staff trying to sort people into queues but being mostly ignored. Once in the building it is fairly easy to find ones way around. If you love art, in particular Klimt, this place will be for you. The gardens are extensive and the formal terraces from the main building down to the stables are fantastic. All in all a great place to spend a few hours.

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