The Belvedere at twilight – a photo essay – Travel Photo Mondays
It’s Monday morning, time to enjoy some gorgeous travel photography and inspiration from around the world. Let’s banish those Monday blues by sharing beautiful imagery and personal story telling. You can also check us out on Twitter for Travel Photo Mondays at #tpMondays for more updates and submissions for the day.
The Belvedere at twilight – Travel Photo Mondays
There’s nothing like going visiting a new city for the first time and seeing an amazing monument or attraction. This was a wonderful entry to visiting this stunning Baroque capital in Austria and seeing the Belvedere palace for the first time. My hotel, the Hotel Savoyen Vienna was just down the block from the palace, so it was the perfect first destination visiting Vienna. Seeing that evening was quickly approaching, I headed out quickly to the Belvedere entry gate before they closed the gates of the palace and it was already past 6pm.
Whew, I barely made it to the entrance in time….but from what I was able to quicky see and experience walking around the grounds of the Belvedere was totally breathtaking. It definitely was a wonderful first impression of Vienna with all the colorful fall foliage framing these animated statues, gardens and the palace grounds below.
Animated sculpture at the The Belvedere palace
Precious
I knew Vienna was grand, but my first impression with all the baroque beauty surrounding the palace left me speechless, while I silently walked around in awe of all the beautiful sculpture, gardens and baroque architecture of the Belvedere. Even though the palace museums were closing, I was able to enjoy a private tour of the gardens – the quiet moments and lack of tourists made the experience even more precious, devoid of the typical tourist vibe you get when visiting a popular attraction like the Belvedere.
The skies were suddenly turning these pastel colored hues of pinks and purples, enveloping the lush grounds and dominant sculptures gracing the formal terraces. The palaces of the upper and lower Belvedere and adjunct buildings looked impressive, luxurious and as grand as I envisioned Vienna to be. The formal baroque architecture, sculpture and gardens all seemed to fit so perfectly together and create a cohesive complex of buildings. At the time of imperial rule in Vienna, the Hapsburg dynasty created so many stunning and grand palaces, civic buildings and public art for the aristocracy and the citizens of Vienna to enjoy a long Hapsburg rule over most of Europe and Eastern Europe.
Fall glory at The Belvedere palace
A fall garden at Belvedere
With fall time in Vienna, all the colorful ochres, reds and oranges were bursting out everywhere from the maples, fall foliage trees and shrubs throughout the gardens, adding some brilliant color during a typically quiet time frame for these gardens. Even with limited flowers and annuals, the gardens were dazzling and wonderful to visit this late in the day. An added plus was seeing these brilliant skies illuminating the Belvedere palace in the background.
Beautiful sculpture and gardens at The Belvedere palace
Baroque fantasy figures
Ornate sculpture in the Belvedere gardens
Water features shine at the Belvedere
Animated sculpture of Children at the Belvedere gardens in Vienna
Sunset at Belvedere
Sunset skies at the Belvedere garden in Vienna
Finally the evening glow covers the skies above Vienna. They quickly turn the the skies A warm evening color of dusky pinks and oranges, even though I could not located the sunset, it’s still so beautiful seeing these skies against the palace, don’t you agree? It was a very brief first visit to Vienna and the Belvedere palace, I really enjoyed this first impression of Vienna. I knew this cultured city would be filled with so much art, culture and history along with so much to see and do daily. Please stay tuned for some wonderful photo tours and other adventures in Vienna in my upcoming posts.
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These pictures are very very very beautiful. What an incredible setting!
Your photos are spectacular, you’re such a professional! 🙂
Gorgeous photos and great overview of this beautiful city!
Belvedere looks incredible! I must visit Vienna. Your photos are made all that much more beautiful by the colored leaves.
Lovely photos as always Noel. I visited the Belvedere a few years ago in the summer it was breathtaking. Your autumn photos are really spectacular.
Amazing photos, Noel… the statues look so alive that we’re disturbing them taking photos!
Oh, Noel, your photos always are so good that I feel like I am taking a stroll right along with you, no matter where you ‘take me’ in the world!
Thanks so much that really made my day, I appreciate the comment!
Our recent visit to the Belvedere was in the rain so it’s lovely to see your photos of it minus the rain and with all the autumn colours.
I love this kind of light. It makes all so warm. Great pics without tourists 🙂
I have to there, too.
Excellent photography of sculptures.
Noel, I haven’t made it to Belvedere yet…someday. My favorite photo is your last one with the yellows and oranges of the sunset. Gorgeous!
I haven’t gotten to Vienna yet – looks like another spot I must add to my list. Will we be seeing pictures from inside the palace as well.
I would have love to take interior shots, but they are not allowed on any Austrian owned properties unfortunately.
I have been to Austria years ago, I guess it is time to go back! Lovely photos!
Wow! It’s not hard to picture oneself transported back in time and strolling about the grounds when I see your amazing photos. The artistry and baroque architecture are stunning and I love your photos with the spectacular fall foliage in the background. Well done!
Beautiful photos! I visited Vienna and Belvedere Palace 25 years ago, and your photos bring back memories of that beautiful place.
I want to go back to Vienna, we only spent a day or two there. These are lovely photos.
woww the statues are absolutely fabulous.
Love the warm light…
Love the lion lady warrior! Very cool 🙂
Wien (Vienna) is like Berlin – so much architecture and art, good eating places, cultural activities and great shopping for clothes – oh, I wanna go again!
Theyare all very nice, but the sunset photo really stands out. Fantastic!
Noel, your photography makes the setting even more breathtaking, perfect time of day. I found the Belvedere gardens to be so reminiscent of Versailles. Overall, Vienna’s grandeur was just over the top. What a world it must have been back then!
I loved Vienna, and Belvedere was absolutely stunning, but seeing your photos makes me wish I’d seen it at sunset. Gorgeous.
It’s a great thing that you made the 6pm entrance time to the Belvedere, Noel! It really seems you not only caught the right time, but also the right season for your photos. Vienna is definitely grand, I was surprised about that as well, but in the autumn colors and soft light, everything appears to be even more breathtaking. What a perfect first destination in Vienna… 🙂
The belvedere is absolutely magnificent! I liked the autumn colors in the background and all the statues on the grounds.
The fall colors and the sunsets are lovely. You’ve just given me another must see place to visit!
Hi Noel, I’m so happy to virtually get a tour of Belvedere through your post. I visited Schonbrunn and Hofburg Palaces but missed Belvedere when I was Vienna. Although you didn’t get to see the museum, I think it was a blessing that you get to enjoy the garden without the hordes of tourist. And what such beauty to see it during fall. The palace and the statues with the foliage in the background and the time of the day you shot made the scenes look very magical. Sublime photos.
That’s a beautiful shot of Belvedere with the glowing sky behind the palace. Those gardens looks very expansive so I bet you must have been moving quickly to cover as much ground and capture as many great shots as you did before the sun set completely. 🙂 It’s now on my must-visit list!