A Masterpiece of Baroque architecture in Vienna, Belvedere was designed by the court architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt as the summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, a brilliant military commander whose strategies were instrumental in defeating the Turks in 1683. Prince Eugene was also one of the most influential members at the Habsburg court.

Belvedere, which consists of two magnificent palaces, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, was built in the 18th. century. The palaces are linked by an extensive formal garden on three levels laid out in the French style. The lower section of the garden portrays the domain of the Four Elements in Greek classical thought (earth, water, air and fire); the middle section is Parnassus (as the home of the Muses in Greek mythology, Parnassus became known as the home of poetry, music and ,learning); and the upper section is Olympus (the setting of many Greek mythical stories).

The Lower Belvedere palace, called Unteres Belvedere, was built between 1714 and 1716 and was the magnificent home of Prince Eugene. from 1923 until 2007, the palace housed the Musuem of Austrian Baroque Art. Since that time, only special temporary exhibitions have been on display.

The Upper Belvedere palace, called Oberes Belvedere built in 1722, stands at the highest point in the garden. The palace was a large luxurious building that was used for feasts and offered panoramic views over the rooftops of Vienna, with the view of the 137 meter high Gothic spire of the Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) dominating the scene. The palace eventually became the home of Archduke Franz Ferdinand from 1899 until 1914. Today, the palace houses an impressive Austrian art collection which dates from the middle ages. The highlight of the artwork is the largest Gustav Klimt collection from the early 1900's, including the stunning golden pieces, "The Kiss" and "Judith."