Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736) was French-born, but after being refused a promotion in the army of Louis XIV, entered into the services of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. He assisted in relieving Vienna from the Turkish siege in 1683 and became a field marshal in the Austrian army at age 25. Real fame followed his conclusive victory over the Turks at the Battle of Zenta (1697). He was acclaimed the "savior of Christianity in Europe" and became a close confidant of successive Habsburg emperors. He was appointed a senior minister and was Austrian chancellor or even emperor in all but name. A highlight in his illustrious diplomatic career was concluding the Treaty of Rastatt (1714) with Louis XIV who had spurned his services early on. During the time of Prince Eugene, the Habsburg Empire reached the zenith of its territorial might.

Although Prince Eugene was showered with honors, the real money – his share of the booty from the victory over the Turks – was only passed on to him more than a decade after the battle. He used much of the money in constructing two marvelous Baroque residences: one inside Vienna as winter residence and the Belvedere, his summer residence just outside Vienna’s boundaries. The winter palace in Himmelpfortgasse 8, close to the Opera, is currently being used by the Ministry of Finance and although the interior is thus off limits, the marvelous façade is worth a short detour.

The Belvedere complex consists of two Baroque palaces designed by Lukas von Hildebrandt. The smaller and older Unteres (Lower) Belvedere was completed in 1716 as the prince’s summer residence. It is beautifully proportioned with the interior an especially fine sample of Baroque art and architecture. Originally, a gloriette similar to the design at the imperial summer residence Schloss Schönbrunn was planned for the hill at the far end of the garden. However, fame and fortune intervened and the marvelous Oberes (Upper) Belvedere was erected instead. This Baroque masterpiece served exclusively as a ceremonial venue for receptions and functions hosted by Prince Eugene. It was completed in 1722 with construction taking only a year.

When French political philosopher Montesquieu visited Vienna, he remarked after seeing the Hofburg imperial palace and the Belvedere that it is a marvelous country where the subjects are housed better than the sovereign.

Prince Eugene never married and a very fortunate niece, Viktoria of Turin, inherited his estate. She sold his 15,000-volume library (now in the Nationalbibliothek at the Hofburg) to the ruling Habsburgs and his huge art collection was scattered all over Europe. Maria Theresa acquired the palaces in 1752, mainly to display the imperial art collection.

Ever since, the palaces have mostly functioned as public art galleries. Although Prince Eugene never lived in the Upper Belvedere, it was used as residence during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Famous residents included composer Anton Bruckner, Archduke Franz Ferdinand (of World War I fame), and pre-Second World War chancellors.