Belvedere

Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736), successful general and art connoisseur, had Belve-dere garden palace built by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt as his summer residence – at the time it was still outside the gates of the city.
This baroque architectural jewel consists of two palaces (Upper and Lower Belvedere), which today house Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present day.

At the heart of the collections at the Belvedere are the works of with his golden paintings “The Kiss” and “Judith”. The masterpieces by Schiele and Kokoschka as well as works of French Impressionism and highlights of the Vienna Biedermeier era (Waldmüller, Amerling, Fendi) that you will see here are every bit as impressive as the paintings of Makart, Boeckl, Wotruba, Hausner, Hundertwasser and others.

Masterworks of late Gothic art like the Znaim Altar, works by Michael Pacher, Rueland Frueauf the Elder and Conrad Laib are also on display here, along with lavish works of art dating from the baroque age. Significant works by Johann Michael Rottmayr, Daniel Gran and Paul Troger give a fascinating insight into the wealth of these times. The grimacing character heads by the sculptor Franz Xaver Messerschmidt are also very emotive.

Prince Eugene’s apartments and staterooms

The feudal splendor of the palace’s aristocratic owner is reflected in the Hall of Grotesques, the Marble Gallery, and the Golden Room. Intriguing special exhibitions are staged in the Lower Belvedere and the Orangery.