Belvedere Palace Vienna: Gustav Klimt's 'The Kiss' and Its Baroque Gardens

The Belvedere is two palaces connected by one of the most spectacular Baroque gardens in Europe, and it's where Vienna keeps its Klimt. If you visit one art museum in Vienna, make it the Upper Belvedere — the collection is exceptional and the building is as good as the contents.

Upper Belvedere: The Klimt Collection

The Upper Belvedere is the main event. Entry: €19. The collection runs from medieval Austrian art through the Biedermeier period to the Vienna Secession and early 20th-century expressionism — but most people are here for the ground floor, where the Klimt room is.

The Kiss (1907–08) is larger than most reproductions suggest — 180 x 180 cm, oil paint mixed with gold leaf, and you are not allowed to touch it, though a surprising number of people try. Standing in front of it is one of those moments where the painting earns its reputation. The entire gallery around it contains more Klimt — Judith, Fritza Riedler, the Avenue at Schloss Kammer. Also here: Egon Schiele's The Family, and Oskar Kokoschka works.

Allow 1.5–2 hours for a thorough Upper Belvedere visit.

Lower Belvedere: Baroque Museum and Orangery

The Lower Belvedere was built first (1716) as Prince Eugene of Savoy's private residence, the Upper Belvedere (1723) was for state occasions. The Lower now houses the Baroque Museum and the Orangery, with temporary exhibitions alongside the permanent collection.

The Orangery hosts classical concerts — a Belvedere concert in a genuine Baroque venue is a worthwhile evening option if you're in Vienna for several days.

Combined Upper + Lower ticket: €26. Worth it for a full day out; if time is limited, the Upper alone is the right call.

The Gardens

The formal gardens between the two palaces are free. Tiered terraces with fountains, sphinx sculptures, and clear sightlines from the Upper Belvedere down to the Lower. Best in May–June when everything is in bloom, but the geometry of the hedged compartments works in any season.

The view back up toward the Upper Belvedere from the Lower end of the garden — with the Baroque facade reflected in the pool — is one of the best unforced photographs you can take in Vienna without paying for it.

Getting There

Tram D from the Ring (Schwarzenbergplatz stop) takes you to the Belvedere gate in about 8 minutes. U1 to Südbahnhof and walk north is the alternative. The palace is in the 3rd district — easy from most accommodation.

Pro Tips

• Book tickets online. Queues for same-day entry in high season are significant.
• The café inside the Upper Belvedere is mediocre and overpriced. There's a decent café in the Orangery.
• The 21er Haus (21st Haus, part of the Belvedere museum group) is a 10-minute walk away and covers contemporary Austrian art — good for an hour if you're interested in what came after Klimt.

Our Take

Upper Belvedere, two hours, The Kiss, the rest of the Klimt and Schiele rooms, then half an hour in the gardens. One of the cleanest half-days in Vienna.