Beautiful view of famous Schloss Belvedere, built by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, in Vienna, Austria; Shutterstock ID 249139849; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; Project no. or GL code: 56530; Network activity no. or Cost Centre: Online-Design; Product or Project: 65050/7529/Josh Vogel/LP.com Destination Galleries

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A masterpiece of total art, Schloss Belvedere is one of the world’s finest baroque palaces. Designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1668–1745), it was built for the brilliant military strategist Prince Eugene of Savoy, conqueror of the Turks in 1718. What giddy romance is evoked in its sumptuously frescoed halls, replete with artworks by Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka; what stories are conjured in its landscaped gardens, which drop like the fall of a theatre curtain to reveal Vienna's skyline.

The first of the palace's two buildings is the Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere), showcasing Gustav Klimt's The Kiss (1908), the perfect embodiment of Viennese art nouveau, alongside other late-19th- to early-20th-century Austrian works. The lavish Unteres Belvedere (Lower Belvedere), with its richly frescoed Marmorsaal (Marble Hall), sits at the end of sculpture-dotted gardens.

Transportation

  • tram: D, 71 Schwarzenbergplatz
  • ubahn: Taubstummengasse, Südtiroler Platz

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Unteres Belvedere

0.04 MILES

Built between 1714 and 1716, Lower Belvedere, at Schloss Belvedere, is a treat of baroque delights. Highlights include Prince Eugene’s former residential…

2. Belvedere Gardens

0.17 MILES

The three-tiered garden that unfurls between the two Belvederes was laid out in classical French style by Dominique Girard, a pupil of André le Nôtre of…

3. Oberes Belvedere

0.35 MILES

Rising splendidly above the gardens and commanding sweeping views of Vienna’s skyline, the Oberes Belvedere, at Schloss Belvedere, is one of Vienna’s…

4. Botanischer Garten

0.35 MILES

These botanic gardens, belonging to the Vienna University, have tropical glasshouses and 11,500 species from six continents, including wonders such as…

5. Wien Museum

0.36 MILES

The Wien Museum covers Vienna's history from Neolithic times to the 20th century, putting the city and its personalities in a meaningful context. It's…

6. Schwarzenbergplatz

0.36 MILES

A fountain (sometimes rainbow-kissed when the sun is out) gushes on Schwarzenbergplatz, a grand square flanked to the north by a statue of Karl von…

7. Karlskirche

0.39 MILES

Built between 1716 and 1739, after a vow by Karl VI at the end of the 1713 plague, Vienna's finest baroque church rises at the southeast corner of…

8. Alpengarten

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This Japanese-style garden has a rockery nurturing alpine species. The tranquil garden is at its fragrant, colourful best from spring to summer, when…

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