Belvedere Palace
Home to Klimt's Kiss and one of Europe's most theatrical baroque gardens.
The Belvedere is a grand baroque palace complex built in the early 18th century for Prince Eugene of Savoy, one of the most powerful military commanders of his era. After his death, the Habsburg imperial family acquired it, and it eventually became one of Austria's most important museums. Today it houses the country's greatest collection of Austrian art — including works you'll recognize even if you've never set foot in Vienna.
The complex splits into two palaces connected by formal gardens. The Upper Belvedere is where you'll spend most of your time: it holds the permanent collection, anchored by a room dedicated to Gustav Klimt that contains The Kiss, Judith, and several other iconic works. Beyond Klimt, you'll find Egon Schiele's raw, unsettling portraits and Oskar Kokoschka's expressionist canvases — together they make a compelling case for Vienna's turn-of-the-century art scene being one of the most creatively explosive moments in modern art history. The building itself is worth your attention too: the ceiling frescoes, the marble hall, and the grand staircase are genuinely spectacular. The Lower Belvedere houses temporary exhibitions and the Orangery. In between, the formal French-style gardens with their sphinx statues and tiered fountains are beautiful in almost any season.
Buy your ticket online before you go — the line for The Kiss room can be significant in peak season, and while there's no timed entry in the traditional sense, mornings on weekdays are noticeably calmer. The Upper Belvedere is the essential visit; the Lower Belvedere is worth adding if you have time and interest in the current temporary show. The museum shop near the exit sells decent Klimt prints if you're looking for something more considered than a fridge magnet.