Look for one of the oldest gardens in Europe in Vienna

It is not only a magnificent baroque palace, but also one of the most valuable art museums in Austria. It houses important works by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka from the early 20th century.

Prince Eugene of Savoy(1663-1736) was also a master of art appreciation. Prince Eugen used the Austrian baroque architect and military engineer Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt's beautiful palace as his summer palace. This baroque architectural gem is made up of two palaces: Oberes Belvedere and Unteres Belvedere. Today, a large amount of Austrian artwork from the middle age to the present day is preserved here.

Oberes Belvedere

At the heart of the Belvedere art collection are 24 "golden period" works by the Viennese separatist master Gustav Klimt, including the world-famous "the kiss" and "the Judith series." The 180cm-by-180cm "kiss" was painted in September 1908 and depicts Klimt falling in love with his friend Emilie Floge. This work is not only one of Klimt's most famous paintings, but also one of Austria's most famous works of art. In addition, the collection of Klimt portraits of women in the beautiful palace on the palace is also very impressive.

In 2018, the palace redesigned its permanent exhibition: 420 items are displayed in seven themed galleries on three floors of the palace. The theme tour begins with an introduction to the historical background of the palace. The art works of the middle age, the baroque period, the classicism period and the pythagoras period are displayed in the exhibition halls.

A separate gallery on the ground floor features works from the Art Nouveau period, including the Vienna secession master Gustav Klimt's major works. The second floor of the palace focuses on the art of the interwar period (between World War I and World War II) and the post-war period (usually after World War II).

Unteres Belvedere and baroque garden

Compared with the more representative Oberes Belvedere, Unteres Belvedere, as the residence of Prince Eugen, is more luxurious. Centuries of trials and tribulations have not diminished the former majesty of Unteres Belvedere. Groteskensaal, marble gallery and the  golden hall tell the story of glory in the past. The special exhibition is held in Unteres Belvedere and the orange hall, presenting breathtaking medieval art, but it was merely the stables of Prince Eugen.

The palace garden

The palace garden has always been the finishing touch of the baroque architectural style of Belvedere. The huge pond in the courtyard of the beauty palace mirrors the baroque architecture on both sides, and a pool of water connects the two sides of the palace. Kammer park was originally built only for the owner of the palace and his closest associates. Alpine garden is one of the oldest gardens in Europe.