Thursday, April 8, 2010 (Part 4):We saw three palace complexes while in Vienna. they were (i) the Belvedere, (ii) the Hofburg, and (iii) Schoenbrun. The "smallest" of the three, and my personal favorite, was the Belvedere.
The Belvedere palace complex is comprised of two huge buildings, the Lower Belvedere (the smaller of the two) and the Upper Belvedere. In between, they are connected by a large series of ornamental gardens, walkways and fountains.
The Belvedere was built around 1700 by Prince Eugene, who acquired his title not by birth but as a result of an illustrious military career. He was born into a lowly (poor) family in France, where he began his military career. He offered his services to the French king, but was spurned. And so he traveled east to the Hapsburg court in Vienna and presented himself to King Leopold VI. The Hapsburgs were facing serious threats from the Turks, and Leopold brought Eugene into his military circle. From the very first, Eugene proved himself to be a masterful commander on the battlefield, and he orchestrated a series of significant battle victories, including the successful defense of Vienna from the invading Turks.
In addition to being awarded many military promotions, Eugene was bestowed with titles and property and purses. He became one of the wealthiest men of his day. And so, he built himself a palace - The Belvedere - where he could entertain and indulge his interests as a collector. And he was a collector of many different things. Among many other things, he collected art. He also collected animals and maintained a menagerie at a nearby hunting lodge that he acquired and refurbished.
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