Southeastern
Vienna. A short walk from the Sübahnhof (Southern train
station).
The
palaces of the Belvedere were constructed for Prince Eugene
of Savoy, and served as his summer residence. The roof
of the Upper Belvedere was designed to look like Turkish
tents in honor of Prince Eugene's defeat of the Turks,
driving them from the city in 1683. It also served as
the home of Archduke Franz Ferdinand until he was assassinated.
Unlike some other tourist attractions in Vienna that warn
you when photography is not allowed inside, the Belvedere
Palace has no signs. Or at least none that I saw. So consider
yourself warned: you will get thrown out for snapping
a few photos. Otherwise, this is one of the highlights
of visiting the city. The Upper Belvedere is still used
for formal state functions and balls. The Palaces and
gardens are much larger than they look, and you could
easily spend an entire day from sunrise to sunset appreciating
the manicured grounds, the statuary, and the art of the
Austrian Gallery (Österreichische Galerie). I recommend
starting at the Upper Belvedere, and then walking downhill
to the Lower Belvedere. The photos presented here are
from October, 1999 when half of the Upper Belvedere was
shrouded in plastic and scaffolding for renovation. So
the photos you see are from the unsheathed part of the
building. The Lower Belvedere is not so afflicted, and
is also worth a visit. It contains the Österreichisches
Barockmuseum, featuring baroque art from Viennese artists
during the city's golden age. There is also the Orangery
which is now home to the Museum of Austrian Medieval Art.
