Belvedere Palace Guide

The Upper Belvedere houses the world’s largest collection of Gustav Klimt paintings, including his masterpiece "The Kiss" (1907-1908) — arguably the most famous painting in Austria and one of the most recognized artworks in the world. The shimmering gold-leaf painting depicts a couple locked in an intimate embrace, wrapped in elaborate robes decorated with geometric patterns. Seeing it in person is a genuinely moving experience — the scale (180×180 cm), the luminous gold, and the tender intimacy of the composition are impossible to fully appreciate in reproductions. The gallery also displays other major Klimt works including "Judith and the Head of Holofernes" and "Adam and Eve." Beyond Klimt, the Upper Belvedere houses an exceptional collection of Austrian art spanning eight centuries: medieval altarpieces, Baroque masterworks by Johann Michael Rottmayr, 19th-century Biedermeier paintings, Egon Schiele’s expressive portraits, Oskar Kokoschka’s vivid Expressionism, and works by the French Impressionists including Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh.

The Upper Belvedere is the grander of the two palace buildings and the main art museum. Built between 1717 and 1723 as Prince Eugene’s summer reception palace, it is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture designed by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. The exterior features an elaborate facade with sculpted sphinxes, a copper mansard roof with green patina, and a commanding position at the top of the sloping gardens offering stunning views across Vienna to the Stephansdom and the Vienna Woods beyond. Inside, the ornate Marble Hall on the upper floor — with its ceiling frescoes, marble columns, and sweeping views through floor-to-ceiling windows — served as the setting for the signing of the Austrian State Treaty on May 15, 1955, which restored Austria’s sovereignty after World War II. The building itself is as much a work of art as the collection it houses, with each gallery room offering magnificent Baroque architectural details.

The Belvedere gardens are among the finest Baroque gardens in the world and are free to enter year-round. Laid out in the French formal style on a gentle slope between the Upper and Lower Belvedere, the gardens feature an axial design with cascading fountains, sculptured hedges, classical statues of sphinxes and mythological figures, tiered water basins, and immaculately manicured parterre flower beds. The central reflecting pool between the two palaces perfectly mirrors the Upper Belvedere facade — this is one of the most photographed views in Vienna. The Alpine Garden on the east side, established in 1803, is one of the oldest Alpine gardens in Europe with over 4,000 plant species from mountain regions around the world. In spring and summer, the gardens are a riot of color; in winter, dusted with snow, they take on a fairy-tale quality. The gardens are open from 6:30 AM daily and are a popular spot for morning joggers and photographers.

The Lower Belvedere, at the garden’s northern end, was Prince Eugene of Savoy’s personal living quarters and is more intimate in scale than the grand Upper Belvedere. Today it hosts rotating special exhibitions of international caliber — past shows have featured works by Monet, Frida Kahlo, and contemporary Austrian artists. The Marble Gallery inside, with its elaborate ceiling frescoes by Martino Altomonte, the Grotesque Room with its whimsical painted decorations, and the Gold Cabinet are architectural highlights in their own right. The adjacent Orangery (the former winter garden for exotic plants) also hosts special exhibitions and is a striking long gallery with abundant natural light. A separate ticket is required (€16), or you can buy a combined Upper + Lower Belvedere ticket. Check belvedere.at for current exhibitions, as the rotating shows are often world-class.