Belvedere is a magnificent Baroque complex, home to one of the most expensive paintings in the world, and it features a very photogenic park. After all, that’s how it got its name – “belvedere” in Italian means “beautiful view.” These are more than enough reasons to visit, so I went along with the crowd…
How Belvedere Was Created
When someone solves all the problems of their emperor in 14 major battles, a reward undoubtedly follows.
Belvedere wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Eugene of Savoy, the famous military commander. He was born as the fifth child in a family of a high-ranking Parisian aristocrat in the 17th century. Rebellious by nature, he rejected the church career intended for him in France and emigrated to Austria in search of work. At the time, Emperor Leopold I was seeking all possible help to defend against the advancing Ottoman Empire. In his army, Savoy became one of Austria’s most important generals thanks to his military skills and great courage. On the battlefield, he was always in the front lines and was wounded several times. He served three Habsburg rulers and defeated both the Ottoman Empire and the French king Louis XIV.
After all this, it’s clear why Eugene of Savoy was gifted one of the most beautiful plots near Vienna.
The Belvedere Complex
Savoy did everything he could to ensure that the complex, which he began building around 1700 outside the city, reflected his high social status. He spared no expense—and he didn’t have to. This resulted in two palaces: one residential and the other intended for representation, with an impressive park between them.
Today, these two parts are known as the Upper and Lower Belvedere.
Upper Belvedere
The Upper Belvedere was completed in 1722 as the representative palace of Prince Eugene.
Right from the entrance, it’s clear that the owner didn’t suffer from false modesty. The grand staircase with wrought-iron lamps is a perfect introduction to what awaits you.
For wheelchair users, there is an elevator that will take you to the Marble Hall.
Once you take in the impressions, you can look through the windows of this room and enjoy the garden from a different perspective.
The palace also contains a small chapel, which you can peek into through a glass wall.
You’ll also find the Messerschmidt collection of heads here.
Sixteen years after the death of the famous commander, Maria Theresa purchased the building and opened a gallery in 1781 – one of the first public museums in the world.
Today, it houses a permanent exhibition featuring paintings from the Baroque, Neoclassical, and Biedermeier periods. The modern period is represented by names such as Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka, Rodin, and others.
The main star of the collection is Gustav Klimt’s works from his Golden Period, especially the famous painting The Kiss, created between 1907 and 1908. It depicts Klimt and his muse Emilie Flöge in a loving embrace. It is considered one of the most important examples of Art Nouveau and certainly one of the most expensive Austrian artworks.
It was first exhibited in 1908, when it was purchased for Belvedere by the Austrian Minister of Education and Culture.
This is the most popular painting in the museum, and the crowds in front of it can be large. However, the canvas itself is quite big—1.8 by 1.8 meters—so it can easily be appreciated from a distance.
Photography is allowed without flash.
Lower Belvedere
The Lower Palace is also designed under the motto “modesty is weakness,” so you’ll find a Golden Cabinet, Marble Gallery, Hall of Grotesques, and more.
It houses medieval and early Baroque artworks, along with constantly changing exhibitions. The orangery, stables, and private gardens are also located here.
The Park
A cascading park on three levels connects the Upper and Lower Belvedere. If a wheelchair user wants to visit both museums, they won’t be able to do so through the park like everyone else. Instead, they’ll need to exit and find an entrance from the lower side.
The height difference between the Upper and Lower Belvedere is 27 meters, so I recommend starting your visit at the Upper Belvedere and walking down toward the Lower one.
The garden contains all the features of a Baroque garden: symmetrical patterns, carefully trimmed hedges, fountains, and sculptures. You’ll find statues of nymphs, sphinxes, and other mythological creatures, including some more recent additions.
The best view of the garden is from the Upper Palace, where you can enjoy the Baroque patterns from a bird’s-eye perspective.
The garden is most beautiful from May to September—not just because of the flowers, but also the fountains. Entry to the garden is free, and it’s open every day.
All Baroque gardens resemble one another—and all resemble Versailles—because this garden was designed by Dominique Girard, a student of the man who created the gardens of the famous French palace.
Most people focus on the area between the two palaces, but behind the Upper Palace there is also a lake, which is a great spot for photography.
How to Get to Belvedere
Trams D and 71 pass by the palace walls, making them the best transportation options. Also, if you start your visit at the Lower Palace, you can take tram D for two stops up to the Upper Palace if mobility is an issue.
Tickets
Belvedere is open year-round.
If you are a person with a disability, your companion is eligible for a discounted ticket—check the website for details. If you want to visit both palaces, it’s best to buy a combo ticket.
If you don’t buy your ticket in advance, you may be assigned a time slot and have to wait.
You can reduce waiting time by avoiding weekends and arriving around 9:30 AM, when it usually opens.
And most importantly, if you want unforgettable photos from Belvedere, check the weather forecast—you don’t want rain, which can be quite unpredictable in Vienna.
Conclusion
Belvedere is an impressive location that you must visit. The flamboyant Eugene of Savoy would probably enjoy seeing the crowds lining up to enter his palace.
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Have you visited Belvedere?
Did I miss anything?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Veličković
