The Ritual Master Hello friends ! And welcome to a little stroll through the galleries of the Upper Belvedere in Vienna.
The Belvedere domain is part of the Viennese identity, with its two palaces, the Upper and the Lower, as well as its magnificent gardens, this is the perfect place to get better acquainted with the Austrian Baroque period.
The Belvedere was built as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, during a time of extensive construction in Vienna. You might wonder what business a Prince of Savoy had to build himself a residence in Vienna. His is a remarkable story.
The youngest son of Eugène Maurice, Count of Soissons, and of Olympia Mancini, Prince Eugene of Savoy was born in Paris in 1663, the youngest son of his parents, destined for the clergy. However, at the age of 19, to the greatest surprise of his entourage, seeing that he was completely unimpressive from a physical, athletic point of view, he decided to dedicate his life to the military. Because of a scandal his mother had been involved in in the previous years, his petition to join Louis XIV’s army was denied, so he decided to seek service abroad, and turned to the Holy Roman Empire. During his more than 30 years as a soldier, his two main enemies were the French and the Ottomans, and he fought bravely on both fronts, assuring his place front and centre in the history of the Habsburg Empire.
Built between 1717 and 1723, the Upper Belvedere is the crown jewel of Prince Eugene’s domain. He called only the best architects and landscape designers of the time, to ensure a lasting impression of magnificence. At his death, Empress Maria Theresa inherited the entirety of the domain and transformed it into a showcase of the Imperial Art collections, thus creating one of the first museums of the world opened to the public.
Today, while visiting the Belvedere Museum, you get to marvel at both Baroque Architecture and admire a collection ranging from the Middle Ages to the late 20th century, with a main attraction for the majority of visitors : Gustav Klimt. His famous Kiss but also Judith, Fritza Riedler or Sonja Knips among others. This is where you find the crowds, curious to decipher the universe of one of the most emblematic Viennese artists.
When visiting the Belvedere, you cannot help but think that this is the ultimate sign that beauty will prevail. A military man of legendary bravery felt that above all conquests or victories in battle, what needed to represent his legacy throughout the centuries, was a temple of beauty. This thought alone can make you look at history in a whole different way. And see the universal values we inherit, and pass on.
Until tomorrow, enjoy the beauty that surrounds you !
