Castles · Tour

Carlone Finished the Marble Hall Ceiling in 1723; Austria Signed Below It in 1955

A guided visit of an hour and a half to two hours at the Upper Belvedere, gardens first and the Marble Hall last. The group meets at the main entrance and starts outside, in the Baroque gardens, with their parterres, fountains and statues, and the view back over the palace with Vienna behind it. Then inside. The complex was built in the 18th century for Prince Eugene of Savoy, to plans by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, and is one of the major Baroque ensembles in Europe: the two palaces joined by the garden, with the upper one intended for receptions and banquets. The interiors mix French and Italian manner. The gallery holds one of the most important collections in Austria, running from the medieval rooms to the 19th century, with Monet, van Gogh, Munch, Goya and Schiele among the names. The Klimt holdings are the largest anywhere: The Kiss, Judith, and the portrait of Sonja Knips. The Marble Hall closes the visit, and it carries two dates worth holding together. Carlo Carlone finished the ceiling fresco in 1723. The Austrian State Treaty was signed in the same room in 1955.