The Upper Belvedere palace in the center of Vienna, Austria, and its reflection in the water fountain. The building is composed of a long range of 29 bays, articulated as seven octagonal pavilions, with ornamented pilasters and window surrounds. These pavilions are in a typical 18th century French design, which can be seen in the Tuileries gardens (Paris) or at the Versailles palace. (SCstock/Shutterstock)
The Belvedere Palace in Vienna, Austria, is actually two structures—the Upper and Lower Belvederes, each with its own history and purpose—and is a masterpiece of late-Baroque architecture that has sat in the city’s third district for more than 300 years.
Originally, the Belvedere was built for Prince Eugene of Savoy, who wanted a summer residence outside the city limits in an undeveloped area called Landstrasse. The prince commissioned renowned Baroque architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt to build him not one, but two palaces inspired by Versailles, completing the Lower Belvedere in 1716 and the Upper Belvedere in 1723. The estate also includes an orangery and stables.
The Belvedere’s architecture is characterized by complex shapes from the late-Baroque era that radiate a sense of drama, grandeur, and opulence. It also has a Rococo influence, a late-Baroque decorative style that is ornamental and theatrical. The Upper Belvedere is a sumptuous display of grandeur. The entrance hall, for example, has ornate decorations and intricate sculptural carvings. The Lower Belvedere houses breathtakingly magnificent rooms, such as the Gold Cabinet, which is extensively decorated with mirrors.
When Empress Maria Theresa acquired the estates after the prince’s death, she turned the Upper Belvedere into an exhibition space that later became one of the world’s first public museums. Today, the Belvedere holds invaluable art collections dating from the Middle Ages to the present. Art is everywhere in this Austrian architectural jewel.
The Upper Belvedere palace in the center of Vienna, Austria, with its reflection in the water fountain. The building is composed of a long range of 29 bays, articulated as seven octagonal pavilions, with ornamented pilasters and window surrounds. These pavilions are in a typical 18th-century French design, which can be seen in the Tuileries Garden, Paris or at the Palace of Versailles. (SCstock/Shutterstock)
In contrast, the Lower Belvedere palace has a simpler appearance, with a white single-story façade of 35 bays and straight wings around a courtyard. It faces the garden and has the general appearance of an orangery, a fashionable conservatory which protects citrus fruit trees during winter. Indeed, it has an orangery, though over the years this has been converted into stables in 1805, the Museum of Medieval Art in 1952, and an exhibition space in 2007. (JeniFoto/Shutterstock)
A skyline view of Vienna from the Belvedere gardens, situated between both palaces. “Belvedere” comes from the Italian words “bel” (beautiful) and “vedere” (view), and means "beautiful view." Here, the view is the magnificent garden, which is in a French-Baroque garden style, complete with large water basins with mirroring effects, symmetrical flower beds, and trimmed edges. (vvoe/Shutterstock)
The Hall of Grotesques, with decorative wall paintings by painter Jonas Drentwett depicting Vulcan’s Forge and the Three Graces, embodiments of masculine and feminine principles. In 18th-century Vienna, it was common practice to decorate areas with grotesques, fantastic, or mythical creatures commonly used for decorative purposes in architecture. (BondRocketImages/Shutterstock)
The Marble Gallery in the Lower Belvedere is made of marble, a commonly used material in the Baroque style, and features sculptures by Baroque sculptor Domenico Parodi. The walls of the gallery are embellished with stucco war trophies to reflect Prince Eugene’s military successes, and the ceiling relief depicts the prince being honored with awards. The contrast of textures and materials used is typical of Baroque. (BearFotos/Shutterstock)
This room covered in gold in the Lower Belvedere is known as the Gold Cabinet. The walls are embellished with mirrors and porcelains with floral motifs in the highly decorative Rococo style, much inspired by fauna and flora. (BondRocketImages/Shutterstock)
The grand staircase of the Upper Belvedere is made of stucco, a material heavily used in both Baroque and Rococo architectures to provide a smooth decorative transition from the walls to the ceiling. (Mira Arnaudova/Shutterstock)
Once again, this room shows the importance of marble and gilding in the Baroque architectural style. The Marble Hall located in the Upper Belvedere is two stories high and is dominated by a reddish-brown marble, hanging chandeliers, and large ceiling frescoes by Carlo Innocenzo Carlone, Marcantonio Chiarini, and Gaetano Fanti. (marcobrivio.photo/Shutterstock)
An impressive ceiling fresco by Italian fresco artist Carlo Innocenzo Carlone, in the Painted Hall in the Upper Belvedere, depicting the Triumphs of Aurora. It is typical of Rococo interiors, which often feature frescoes, as it uses a pastel palette featuring colors such as light blues, yellows, and pinks. (Mira Arnaudova/Shutterstock)
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