The capital of Austria, Vienna, is a city of magnificent places, each of which deserves a special attention of tourists. One of the main landmarks of Vienna is the Belvedere Palace Complex that is located on the hills of the city.
Extensive Palace Complex is the Pearl of Vienna
The Belvedere is a summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy who went down in the history of the country as a great commander. The palace is not just a regular piece of architecture; it is a true masterpiece of the Baroque style. If to say about the best places of interest that Austria has, it is, no doubt, the Belvedere. It is that very place, where in 1955 the declaration of independence of Austria was adopted. Today, the palace houses the National Gallery of Austria.
Historical Background & Interesting Facts
What is the Belvedere? Literally, it means “a beautiful view”. And it matches the reality completely, as it is spread on a hillside. An amazing panorama view of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Vienne is got from this point.
The Lower Belvedere is the first palace of the complex, which was constructed in far 1716 by Prince Eugene of Savoy. He was a successful commander came from France. He was the one who defeated the Ottoman army in 1683. One year later, in 1717, there was made a decision to build one more palace for official meetings. Thus, the co-brother of the Lower Belvedere, the Upper Belvedere, “grew up” not far from it.
Price, who built the complex, did not have any child, so all his property was taken up by Anna Victoria after his death. In some years, the palace complex was bought by another Empress Maria Theresia.
Exposition of the Belvedere
The Lower Belvedere preserved the atmosphere in the apartments of Prince Eugene, where there is also a collection of sculptures and paintings. The guests of the palace can visit the Golden Room, the Hall of Mirrors, a dining hall, and the Prince’s bedroom.
In the southern part of the park, on the top of the hill, there is the Upper Belvedere. It is truly beautiful, and it makes a greater impression on the visitors than the Lower Belvedere. The amazing art collections of the 19th-20th centuries are presented here, which include the works of Monet and Vincent van Gogh, Renoir and Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka and one of the most famous Austrian artists – Gustav Klimt.
The best season for the Belvedere visitation is Summer and Spring. If you find yourself in Vienne in the summer season, you should definitely visit the Gardens of the Schönbrunn Palace. Being in Salzburg, we recommend you to visit the Hohensalzburg Fortress and Salzburg Cathedral.
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