Belvedere Beauty: Vienna's Baroque Marvel

During our visit to Vienna in early November 2023, I was disappointed to find that I couldn't capture a postcard-worthy shot of the Belvedere. Stalls were being set up for the upcoming Christmas market, obscuring the front of the building. It was surprising to see preparations for the market starting so early in Vienna. Nonetheless, I had to rely on a photograph from June 2014 to document my trip and provide some background on this iconic Vienna landmark, a splendid example of baroque architecture. The Belvedere consists of two magnificent palaces, the Upper Belvedere and the Lower Belvedere, nestled amidst beautifully landscaped gardens. This palace complex was constructed in the 18th century by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt and commissioned for Prince Eugene of Savoy. Prince Eugene, a field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th and 18th centuries, achieved great success and held high positions at the Imperial court in Vienna. But what truly left us in awe was not just Prince Eugene's story. It was the remarkable art of Gustav Klimt, prominently displayed in the Upper Belvedere. Wow, 'The Kiss' and other masterpieces by Klimt made a lasting impression on us – The Belvedere, Vienna, Austria