While “Belvedere” might provoke an image of just a single palace, it’s actually a large complex with two Baroque palaces (Upper and Lower), Orangery, Stables and beautiful park space in the 3rd District. It was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy. While the gardens and architecture alone make it worth a visit, its grandiose interiors and art collections are not to be missed. The galleries of the Upper Belvedere highlight Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present, providing insight into the country’s culture and history. This includes works by Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, as well as impressive sections on Biedermeier, Expressionism and Baroque art.
Upper Belvedere
Zac Steger
Classical palace building
Yaromyr Babskyy/Getty Images/iStockphoto
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Belvedere Palaces & Park
The capital of Austria today, Vienna was for centuries the seat of the Hapsburg Empire and one of the most important cultural centers in Europe. Its palaces are filled with works by Old Masters while at the beginning of the 20th century, it was the center of the Secession school, with Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele as some of the most famous artists associated with the movement. There is a lot of art, and no better way to see the best of it than with Uniworld’s “Vienna, City of Arts” excursion. At the Kunst Historiches Museum (or Art History Museum), you’ll find an interesting mix of masterpieces by painters including Brueghel, Caravaggio, Titian, and Veronese and the idiosyncratic Kunstkammer (or “art room”), which reflects the eclectic passions and interests of various Hapsburg emperors. At the Upper Belvedere Palace (which, like the Winter Palace, was originally constructed by Prince Eugene of Savoy), the glittering works of Gustav Klimt are gems in the Baroque setting.
Palaces and Castles in Winter
The calm of winter may be the best time to visit some of Austria‘s most treasured castles and palaces, such as Belvedere Palace in Vienna. With fewer tourists you can enjoy the royal splendor with a little more space and a lot less noise.
