Castles · Tour

Finished in 1716 to Hildebrandt's Plan, and Lived In, Not Displayed

Admission to the Lower Belvedere, the half of the complex people tend to skip. It was finished in 1716, planned by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt for Prince Eugene of Savoy as somewhere to actually live, with state rooms for receiving. That distinction is the whole interest of the building: the Upper Belvedere was built to be seen from a distance, this one was built to be inhabited, and the rooms show what Baroque daily life and Baroque display looked like side by side. The Belvedere is on the World Heritage list, was where the Austrian State Treaty was signed, and is at once one of the oldest museums in the world and a place that shows new work. The rooms here and the Orangery next door hold the temporary exhibitions and events, so what is on changes through the year. The booking can be cancelled free of charge up to the start of the time slot.