Belvedere Palace

"The Belvedere is one of the world's greatest and important museums, as well as one of Vienna's most popular attractions. Today, a tour of the palace displays two stunning palaces: the Upper and Lower Belvedere, as well as a unique Baroque park. This Baroque palace has 800 years of art history and hosts masterpieces by Klimt, Schiele, Funke, Messerschmidt and van Gogh. Construction of the Lower Belvedere started in 1712 and the Upper Belvedere build began as early as 1717 and finished in 1723. This is for the history nerds: In 1776, Emperor Joseph II decided to transfer the Imperial Picture Gallery from the Hofburg Imperial Palace to the Upper Belvedere. The gallery opened five years later, making it one of the first public museums in the world. While the Upper Belvedere was transformed into a picture gallery at the end of the eighteenth century, the Lower Belvedere served mainly to royal family members fleeing from the French Revolution. Most memorable was Princess Marie Therese Charlotte, the only surviving child of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. The museum in the Upper Belvedere was shut down in 1896 when Emperor Franz Joseph decided the Palace should be the residence of his nephew and soon-to-be heir, Franz Ferdinand. After the assassination of Ferdinand and his wife, the following World War One, the collapse of the Habsburg Monarchy in 1918 and damage due to bombing of the Belvedere during World War two, a post war restoration began from 1945-1953 and has made the palace to the museum it is today. Fun fact: the Belvedere was painted by Adolf Hitler. A must-see is the museum on the Upper Belvedere, which holds the world's biggest collection of Gustav Klimt paintings. Klimt's "The Kiss" in particular is world-famous. Created in 1908/09 and shows Klimt and his muse Emilie Flöge as a couple in love. The museum also hosts the Character Heads series of busts by Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, a remarkable collection of contorted faces, sculpted in the 1700s and really fun to look at. Beyond that you can visit the state rooms of Prince Eugene, such as the Marble Hall, the Marble Gallery, the Gold Cabinet, adjoining orangery and ornate stables in the Lower Belvedere. Fun fact: the name Belvedere, means “beautiful view”. Avoid waiting at the ticket office and purchase your ticket online. Just show the ticket directly at the entrance to the showrooms and off you go. Please note the Upper Belvedere Palace is one of Vienna’s most popular attractions and can be crowded, especially during the main season and on holidays. 💸Entrance fee: Upper Belvedere: €17,7 Lower Belvedere: €15,6 ⏰Opening hours: Upper Belvedere: 9am to 6pm. Lower Belvedere: 10am to 6pm. "

"The Belvedere in Vienna is one of the leading museums worldwide. Its famous art collection includes works ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. The unique complex, with its two palaces of the Upper and Lower Belvedere and extensive gardens, is one of the most stunning Baroque architectural marvels in the world. Highlights include the world's largest collection of Gustav Klimt paintings as well as prominent works from the periods of Viennese Biedermeier, Austrian Baroque, Vienna around 1900, and French Impressionism. Now, for the first time in decades, the museum will once again host large-scale special exhibitions that you can admire on your visit. "

"A stunning market spread alongside the front of the palace; you will walk through the magical lit up Southern gate which make you feel like you've stepped into a fairytale. This market is one of the smallest and quieter with around 20 stands on each side. Here you can find authentic handcrafted ornaments, a refined selection of traditional Austrian foods such as sausage and leberkase or desserts like churros and kaiserschmarren (a sweet pancake-like dish). This year the market will run from November 17th to December 31st with these opening times: Weekdays 11am - 9pm Weekends 10am - 9pm Closing early December 24th (4pm) and December 25th & 26th (7pm)"