The baroque Belvedere Palace was built between 1714 and 1723 by the famous architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy. Eugene of Savoy was one of the most successful leaders of the Habsburg army: he pushed the Turks back to the Balkans and eliminated the Ottoman threat against Austria.

The Schloss Belvedere actually consists of two buildings: the Unteres (Lower) Belvedere and the Oberes (Upper) Belvedere, separated by a sloping formal garden. At the time of its construction, the whole complex was outside the city walls. Today it is in a very busy area, next to one of Vienna’s main train stations, the Südbahnhof. However, the parks surrounding the Belvedere still give the place a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

The Belvedere Palace has always been regarded as one of the most beautiful baroque buildings in Europe and is definitely worth a visit. If you are really in a hurry, you should at least see the palace from outside (entry to the park is free). The view of Vienna from the Oberes Belvedere is also a must!

If you have more time, you should pay a visit to the interior of the Oberes Belvedere, which houses the Austrian Gallery. Here are collections of 19th and 20th century art; works on display include not only Austrian artists, such as Oskar Kokoschka, Gustav Klimt, or Egon Schiele, but also French painters like Claude Monet and August Renoir.
Of great historical importance for Austria is the palace’s Marmorsaal (Marmor = marble + Saal = hall). It was here that in 1955 the foreign ministers of France, Great Britain, the United States of America, the Soviet Union, and Austria signed the Austrian State Treaty. The Treaty guaranteed Austria's neutrality and the Allied withdrawal from the country after a ten-year occupation period.

The Unteres Belvedere, built by Giovanni Stanetti, houses a collection of medieval and baroque art. This includes the grotesque murals and grimacing heads by the Austrian sculptor Messerschmidt in the Groteskensaal (Grotesk = grotesque + Saal = hall) and the gold panelling, marble decorations, and mirrors of the Goldkabinett (Gold = gold + Kabinett = cabinet, gallery).

Check out the Belvedere’s website for more information:
http://www.belvedere.at

Schloss Belvedere
3rd district
Prinz Eugen-Straße 27
Tramway: line D Schloss Belvedere
Tel: 79557 - 0

Open: Tue-Sun 10 am to 6 pm; closed on Mondays.