Belvedere Palace
Schloss Belvedere
Prince Eugene's Baroque summer palace. The Upper Belvedere holds the world's largest collection of Klimt, including The Kiss, and the gardens connect it to the Lower Belvedere.
The Belvedere was commissioned by Prince Eugene of Savoy, the famous general who defeated the Ottoman Empire, and designed by architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. It was built between 1714 and 1723 and is the pinnacle of Austrian Baroque architecture. The complex consists of the Upper Belvedere on the hillside, the Lower Belvedere at the foot of the slope, and a symmetrical French garden between them. In 1955, the Austrian State Treaty was signed in the Marble Hall of the Upper Belvedere, marking the restoration of Austria's independence. The Upper Belvedere (about €18; reserve timed tickets on belvedere.at) now houses the Austrian Gallery. Its treasures include Gustav Klimt's The Kiss (1908–09, a masterpiece of his Golden Period, displayed in its own gallery; photography is allowed but crowded) and Judith. It also has Klimt's landscapes, Egon Schiele's Embrace and Family, works by Oskar Kokoschka, Biedermeier painter Waldmüller, medieval and Baroque sculpture, and Franz Xaver Messerschmidt's 'Character Heads' series. From the windows of the Marble Hall, you can look out over the gardens, the Lower Belvedere and the city skyline. The Lower Belvedere (about €16; combined ticket about €26) was Prince Eugene's residence. It preserves the Marble Hall, the Grotesque Hall and the Gold Hall, and now hosts special exhibitions. The gardens are free to enter. Nearby, Belvedere 21 is a museum of modern and contemporary art. Getting there: take tram D to the Schloss Belvedere stop and walk to the main entrance of the Upper Belvedere, or walk 10 minutes from Südtiroler Platz or the Central Station. The Lower Belvedere is on Rennweg, served by tram 71. It is recommended to visit from top to bottom: first the Klimts at the Upper Belvedere, then walk through the garden to the Lower Belvedere. The full visit takes about 2–3 hours.
Opening hours
Upper Belvedere 09:00–18:00; Lower Belvedere 10:00–18:00 (until 21:00 on Wed)
Nearby sights
- Museum of Military History (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum)
- Karlskirche
- Musikverein
- Stadtpark
- Haus der Musik
- Vienna State Opera
- Hotel Sacher & Original Sachertorte
- Secession Building