The Belvedere is actually three museums and a garden. We explain where Klimt's The Kiss hangs, which ticket you need and when it's best to come.
The Belvedere is two Baroque palaces with a garden in between, and the home of Gustav Klimt's “The Kiss.” If you're visiting for the first time, you'll quickly face the question: Upper or Lower Belvedere, single or combined ticket? Here are the answers, as of October 2026.
In short: For The Kiss, you only need the Upper Belvedere (€23). Admission is free for under-19s. The palace garden costs nothing.
Upper, Lower, Belvedere 21: What's What?
- Upper Belvedere: the large palace on the hill with the collection: 800 years of art from the Middle Ages to the 1970s, including Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka and the character heads by Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. This is where The Kiss hangs.
- Lower Belvedere: Prince Eugene's former residential palace on Rennweg. It hosts changing exhibitions, plus the Orangery and, in the Prunkstall (former palace stables), art from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
- Belvedere 21: contemporary art in a pavilion by Karl Schwanzer near the Main Station.
Tickets and Prices
- Upper Belvedere: €23
- Lower Belvedere: €20
- Belvedere 21: €12
- 2 in 1 – Upper and Lower: €32 instead of €43
- 3 in 1 – all three: €34 instead of €55
Admission is free everywhere for under-19s. Students under 26 and seniors 65 and over pay less, for example €19 at the Upper Belvedere. With the Vienna City Card, you save €1.50 (Upper) or €2.50 (2 in 1). With the Vienna Pass, admission is included.
You enter the Upper Belvedere with a fixed entry time; after that you can stay as long as you like. An online ticket has one advantage: you go straight to the entrance. According to the Belvedere, it isn't cheaper than at the ticket desk. Prices are set day by day. Only buy on belvedere.at: the museum warns of fake tickets on other platforms.
Which Ticket Is Worth It?
- You want to see The Kiss and have two hours: Upper Belvedere.
- You have half a day: 2 in 1. For just €9 more, you get the exhibitions in the Lower Belvedere, and the walk through the garden connects the two palaces.
- You like contemporary art: 3 in 1, which means Belvedere 21 costs only €2 extra. Note: Belvedere 21 is closed from October 5 to November 4, 2026, while a new exhibition is being installed.
- You visit often or live in Vienna: the Gold Pass is valid for one year at all three venues and costs €49, with no time slot needed.
Klimt's The Kiss
“The Kiss” (original title “Liebespaar,” The Lovers) was created around 1907 to 1909 and measures 180 by 180 centimeters. Klimt worked with gold leaf, silver leaf and even platinum leaf, which explains the glow that no photo truly captures. In 1908 the painting was shown at the Kunstschau Wien exhibition, and that same year the state bought it for the Moderne Galerie (Modern Gallery) in the Belvedere. It has hung in Vienna ever since.
The Belvedere owns the world's largest collection of Klimt paintings. In the Upper Belvedere you'll also see portraits such as that of Sonja Knips, as well as works by Egon Schiele and Richard Gerstl.
Photography is allowed for private purposes, without flash, tripod or selfie stick. There's often a crowd in front of The Kiss; take a few minutes anyway, as the painting looks completely different up close.
When Is It Quiet?
According to the Belvedere, it's busiest at midday, on weekends and on public holidays. It's quieter early in the morning or in the late afternoon.
- Upper Belvedere: daily 09:00–18:00
- Lower Belvedere: daily 10:00–18:00
- Belvedere 21: Tuesday to Sunday 11:00–18:00, Thursdays until 21:00
Last admission is half an hour before closing. Lockers are free; you can't check suitcases.
The Garden: Free and Beautiful
Between the two palaces lies the Baroque Belvedere Garden, laid out on three terraces. Admission is free. In October it's open from 06:30 to 19:00, and from November to February until 17:30. Dogs are not allowed.
Right next door is the University of Vienna's Botanical Garden, which is also free. The small Alpine Garden is open in the summer season and costs €4.50.
A Bit of History
Prince Eugene of Savoy had the Belvedere built by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt: the Lower Belvedere from 1712, the Upper Belvedere by 1723. In 1777 a picture gallery opened in the Upper Belvedere, one of the first public museums in the world. And on May 15, 1955, the Austrian State Treaty was signed in the Upper Belvedere: “Austria is free!”
Getting There
- Upper Belvedere: tram D to “Schloss Belvedere” or trams 18 and O to “Quartier Belvedere.” It's about a 15-minute walk from the Main Station.
- Lower Belvedere: tram 71 to “Unteres Belvedere” or D to “Gußhaustraße.”
- Belvedere 21: tram D, 18 or O to “Quartier Belvedere.”
For a comparison of more museums, see our article Museums in Vienna: Which One Is Right for You?
As of October 2026. Sources: belvedere.at, the Belvedere's online collection, bundesgaerten.at. Prices are set day by day, so check them in the Belvedere ticket shop before your visit.
