T he 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.
