Belvedere, Vienna

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In 1697, Prince Eugene of Savoy, whom many still perceive as the most successful military commander in Austrian history, acquired a piece of land on the outskirts of the city of Vienna, which he intended to turn into a summer residence. The Lower Belvedere was the first of the two Belvedere palaces to be completed on the estate in 1716. Located at the bottom of the gardens, it's not as big or grandiose as the Upper Belvedere, the main reason being that the prince used it as his private living quarters, not for ceremonial events. It is flanked by the orangery and palace stables, both of which have now been turned into museum space. A visit to the Lower Belvedere includes a tour of the prince's gorgeous former residence, as well as access to special exhbitions. When we were there, we got to see the fabulous works of Hans Makart. I thought his depiction of the five senses was especially remarkable.

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The Upper Belvedere was the second palace to be built on the estate belonging to Prince Eugene of Savoy. As soon as the Lower Belvedere was completed, work began on the estate's gardens and the Upper Belvedere; the impressive Baroque palace was completed in 1723. Its purpose was mainly a ceremonial one, its sumptuous rooms being used to hold different events for the prince's noble guests. The plans for the French gardens that connect the two palaces were laid out by French landscaper Dominique Girard. Taking advantage of the grounds' gentle slope, Girard included some beautiful fountains and cascades into the design. After the Prince of Savoy passed away, the Imperial family eventually took over the Belvedere. They opened the grounds to the public in 1779 and, two years later, the Upper Belvedere also became accessible to the public as the Imperial Picture Gallery. Today, it houses one of the world's most interesting collections of Austrian art. The jewel of this collection is without a doubt Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss". I don't know how much time went by as I lost myself in the details of this golden masterpiece!

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In a previous review "Good bye Klimt" I mentioned the fate of some Klimt's who went to the USA to be sold at auctions. I visited the museum before but was less impressed by the collections than by the architecture of the Upper Belvedere Palace itself.

Each time I'm in Vienna I like to reach the majestic wrought iron gates at the Gürtel Landstrasse and from there to start a walk downwards: first through the Alpengarten on the right side of the so nice ornamental pond, surrounded by flower beds, around the Palace and then the terrace leading to the Belvedere Garten and finally the Lower Belvedere.
It's from this terrace that one has a beautiful panorama on the centre of Vienna. My photo with the Sphinx is a classical. The Baroque palace complex was built between 1712 and 1723 as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy with Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt as the chief architect. I think it is a real architectural success if you look at the Palace from the upper side as well as from the lower side.

In 1897 the Upper Belvedere was modified by the architect Emil von Förster so that the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir of Emperor Franz-Josef, could live here with his wife Sophie. Both were assassinated in June 1914 at Sarajevo what started WW I and its 15 million deaths.
It is difficult to remember this when admiring the peaceful great water basin in the upper parterre and the stairs and cascades peopled by nymphs and goddesses that links upper and lower parterres.

Note that when you walk down the terraces the exit is on the right by the portico of the Lower Belvedere palace (free toilets inside) on the Ringstrasse.

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Oberes Belvedere was the big palace of Prinz Eugen in the upper part of the park and today it is a museum called "Oesterreichische Gallerie"with some of the most precious paintings by Klimt, Schiele,Kokoschka, Hundertwasser etc.
But of course Oberes Belvedere is also worth seeing for its precious architecture of the various rooms and halls. Normally photography is not allowed inside Oberes Belvedere, but at our National Holiday - October 26th - everything was a bit different, there was an exhibition of 50 years state-treaty with free entry for everyone and nobody cared about me...
I have to admit, that some of the famous Klimt-paintings look better on the souvenir-posters than in reality but of course it was nice to see them in reality. My favorite was the "Portrait of Sonja Knips" by Gustav Klimt - you get the feeling to be able to talk to her !

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Unteres Belvedere is the lower building - a lot smaller than the upper palace, but also with some great halls and ornate rooms with plenty of baroque paintings. Unteres Belvedere is next to Palais Schwarzenberg, that is one of the most exclusive hotels in Austria.
The most interesting room in Unteres Belvedere is the marble-room in the centre and it shows a copy of the beautiful Providentia-fountain on Neuer Markt in Vienna. It dates back to 1739 and in Belvedere you may see the original sculptures made by Georg Raphael Donner: Providentia (godess of providence)in the centre and around her 4 sculptures symbolizing the 4 most important rivers flowing into the Danube. The fountain in Belvedere looks like brand new, the one in Neuer Markt became grey and green already...

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The Belvedere is a baroque palace complex built by Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 3rd district of Vienna, south-east of the city center.

The Schloss Belvedere began as a suburban entertainment villa: in 1714 work began to erect what is now called the Lower Belvedere, not as a palace but as a garden villa, with an orangerie and paintings gallery, with suitable living quarters.

In 1720-1723 the Upper Belvedere was built, originally intended simply to provide a suitable end to the main garden axis but the schloss was soon enlarged to provide the main summer residence of Prince Eugene.

Its painted ceilings are by Carlo Carlone, with an altarpiece in the chapel by Francesco Solimena.

The complex was sold in 1752 to Maria Theresa by the prince's heiress. She first named the schloss "Belvedere".

Since 1775 the Belvedere has housed the imperial picture gallery on behalf of Joseph II, and in 1806 the collection of Ambras Palace was moved to the Lower Belvedere as well.

Both were transferred to the Museum of Art History in 1890. The last to reside here was Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Since World War I, the Austrian Gallery museum resides in the Belvedere.

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The garden had a scenery enclosed by clipped hedging, even as the Belvedere was building, in the formal French manner with gravelled walks and jeux d'eau by Dominique Girard, who had trained in the gardens of Versailles as a pupil of André Le Nôtre.

Its great water basin in the upper parterre and the stairs and cascades peopled by nymphs and goddesses that links upper and lower parterres survive, but the patterned bedding has long been grassed over; it is currently being restored.

The Belvedere is a historical building complex in Vienna, 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 3rd district of the city, south-east 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.

The Belvedere was built during a period of extensive constructions in Vienna, which at the time was both the imperial capital and home to the ruling dynasty.

As it was winter and so called as I've visited Belvedere, even the water in the gardens were totaly frozen, but had a great view for photo shootings ... Very recommendable place for ur Vienna visit to see .... :)

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There are those who have visited the Upper Belvedere museum before March 2006 and have seen the Klimt's and those who came later and will not see them.
You might have read about the case "Republic of Austria v. Altmann."
In January 2006 an arbitration tribunal in Austria decided in favour of Mrs. Altmann and her fellow heirs, awarding them the five paintings. In addition to "Adele Bloch-Bauer I" from 1907 they include a second portrait of Adele (Bloch-Bauer II), from 1911, and three landscapes: "Beechwood" (1903), "Apple Tree I" (circa 1911) and "Houses in Unterach on Lake Atter" (1916).
These Klimts are no more at the Belvedere but are in the USA.
The masterpiece "Adele Bloch-Bauer I" was sold to the Neue Galerie in New York of Ronald Lauder for a reported US $135 million.
The 4 others were sold by Christie's New York on November 8th, 2006 to private collectors at prices between 30 and 88 million USD.

The Austrian government received wide criticism for its failure to have secured a deal with Maria Altmann.
Fortunately, the Upper Belvedere has other Klimt's (a.o. "The Kiss") and many good paintings from the 19th and 20th century.
And for those who don't like paintings the architecture of the Belvedere, the terraces, the gardens and the ornamental pond are so nice that one might forget the Klimt's.

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WARNING: The so nice ornamental pond, surrounded by flower beds, in front of the Upper Belvedere palace (photo 2) is undergoing works. No water, no flowers in 2010. The "Sanierung" works should be finished in 2011.
The terraces going down to the Lower Belvedere have undergone works, the fountains have been cleaned but the flowers were largely missing on our visit (oct. 2010).
Note that when you walk down the terraces the exit is on the right by the portico of the Lower Belvedere palace (free toilets inside) on the Ringstrasse.

Open: Upper Belvedere daily 10 to 18 h.
Lower Belvedere, Orangery daily 10 to 18 h, Wednesday 10 to 21 h.

Price : Upper Belvedere Permanent Collection € 9.50 .
With Vienna Card: € 8 .
Seniors (from age 60): € 7.50 .
Students (up to age 27): € 7 .
Children (up to age 19): free .

The Belvedere is a baroque palace complex built by Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 18th century. Later on, the complex was sold to Empress Maria Theresa who first named the palace "Belvedere". Since World War I, the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere (Austrian Gallery museum) is housed in the Belvedere.

The art collection includes masterpieces from the Middle Ages and Baroque until the 21st century, focusing on Austrian painters from the Fin de Siècle and the Art Nouveau period. The best known artists on display are Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.

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As if Schönbrunn and the Hofburg are not already enough, another palace complex requests your attention. The Belvedere palaces and gardens are just outside the old inner city centre and also worth a morning or afternoon visit. The complex is built against a hill and has a higher and lower palace, in between are the beautiful gardens invite for a walk around. During this strawl one can find out why the Belvedere holds this name. Belvedere means "beautiful view" and indeed, from the palace gardens (and the terrace in front of the higher palace) one sees far over the Austrian capitol.