Belvedere Palace
While in Vienna, you should definitely visit the Belvedere Palace. The architectural complex in the style of the Baroque palace is really so beautiful and elegant that it is often called the Austrian Versailles.
The history of the palace
In 1714, the Austrian commander Prince Eugene of Savoy wanted to build a summer residence for himself on a picturesque hill in the vicinity of Vienna. The famous architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt took up the task. The magnificent Versailles was chosen as a role model. The construction was completed in 2 years, and the result fully met expectations. A master bedroom, a mirrored room, a golden study, a marble gallery. These names alone speak of the extraordinary beauty of the palace, called the Lower Belvedere.Later, the prince needed another building for holding audiences, grand receptions, and magnificent balls. By 1722, the Upper Belvedere was built – another castle with a majestic spacious hall, rich interiors, unique frescoes and sculptures.
After the prince's death in 1736, the Belvedere Palace was bought by the founder of the Lorraine branch of the Habsburg dynasty, Empress Maria Theresa. At her behest, Belvedere Park became one of the first in Europe to be accessible to visitors of any class. And in the late 1770s, Maria Theresa's son Joseph II brought a significant part of the imperial art collection to the Upper Belvedere and also opened it to the public.Interestingly, Maria Theresa was the mother, and Joseph was the brother of the unfortunate Marie Antoinette, the French queen, who was executed during the Great French Revolution.
Art exhibitions
Nowadays, the halls of the Upper Belvedere house collections of paintings from the Austrian Gallery of the XIX—XX centuries. Here you can get acquainted with the works of Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh, Beckmann, Schiele, Kokoschka and modern masters. The main highlight of the museum is considered to be the collection of paintings by Gustav Klimt with his world-famous “Kiss”.
Park area
The creator of the garden in the Belvedere is considered to be the famous gardener and fountain master, Frenchman Dominique Girard, who worked in the parks of Versailles. Thanks to him and his followers, in addition to the lush vegetation, vast expanses of water appeared in the park. And the high terraces descending from a high hill allow you to see the whole ancient city in the palm of your hand.
In the 19th century, a Botanical garden and a rock garden appeared on the territory of the palace complex. More than 4,000 specimens of alpine plants grow on the territory of the Rock Garden, from which various patterns are formed on the lawns. According to tourists who have visited the Belvedere, it is necessary to visit it in late spring, when everything is green and blooming. The Belvedere Palace and Park Complex is recognized as a masterpiece of landscape architecture of the Baroque era and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Not only tourists can enjoy this beauty, but residents of Vienna enjoy visiting the Belvedere with whole families to have a picnic on the grass and admire their city from a high terrace.
