The interior of the Upper Belvedere Palace is a wonder of Baroque design. Prince Eugene of Savoy selected the famous Baroque architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt for its construction, and not an inch of the place is without flourish. Most of the building is used for the art gallery – Austrian art in the last thousand years or so – so pictures are only allowed in certain sections of the palace: the entryway and staircase and the Marble Hall.

The art on display is impressive as well. In addition to other works, the Belvedere houses a large collection of Klimt paintings.

Gustav Klimt was an Austrian artist working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. HIs work typically involves lots of gilding and mixing gold with other colors to create luminous effects. At the Upper Belvedere, you can see Kiss, Judith I, and Avenue to Schloss Kammer c. 1912, Cottage Garden with Sunflowers c. 1906, among many others.

After KW and I explored the artwork, we stopped into the elaborate cafe for a bite. The gnocchi was delicious, even if Empress Sisi appeared to be watching us the whole time.

Title quote: Gustav Klimt