Belvedere Palace
Vienna is known for its many magnificent palaces. One of these palaces is the Belvedere Palace, a baroque building. Belvedere is actually a complex of buildings. During the tour, you can visit both the Upper Belvedere (Oberes) and the Lower Belvedere (Unteres). These two buildings are called the Belvedere Palaces or the Belvedere Palace Complex.
Built in the 17th and 18th centuries, this palace was used as a summer residence by Prince Eugen of Savoy. Eugen was the commander of the Austrian army in Hungary in the 17th century. He defeated the Ottoman army under the command of Sultan Mustafa II and as a result, the Treaty of Karlofça was signed, which marked the beginning of a period of decline for the Ottoman Empire. It was the first treaty that resulted in the Ottoman Empire’s major territorial losses in the west.
Over time, the upper palace became a place to keep ostentatious objects, or rather a gallery, while the main living space was the palace below. The buildings are one of the most remarkable structures in Vienna with their magnificent sculptures, decorative steps, gates and baroque architecture. The Upper Belvedere has an important place for Austrians as it was the place where the treaty for the independence of the Austrian State was signed in 1955, when Austria regained its freedom after World War II.
Upper Belverede, where the Belvedere Museum is located. Belvedere Museum is a place where many paintings, frescoes, historical decorative furniture are exhibited. Inside we can see the works of many masters from Van Gogh to Gustav Klimt.
Most of the paintings are exhibited in this building. Photography is not allowed where the paintings are, but you can take photos in other places inside the palace. There are many architecturally beautiful places. The entrance of the palace is memorable with its white, shiny appearance, large steps, wall reliefs and sculptures. The rest of the palace is just as beautiful.
The upper and lower Belvedere are separated by a garden 520 meters long. The garden, enriched with landscaped gardens, ornamental pools, sculptures of strange creatures and walkways, is somewhat similar to the garden of Schönbrunn Palace.
What are the Belvedere Palace entrance fee and visiting hours?
Entrance to the upper palace costs €15 for adults, €20 if you want to see both palaces, and €23 if you want to see everything, including the other buildings. You can visit every day from 09:00 to 18:00 and on Fridays from 09:00 to 20:00, while the lower palace opens at 10:00. If you want to visit the garden, you can visit the garden and see the outside of the palaces for free. It’s all free if you have a Vienna Pass card.
Where is Belvedere Palace and how to get there?
To get to Belvedere Palace by metro, you need to take the U1 line and get off at the Stüdtirolerplatz stop. You can also take the D and 71 trams to the palace.
