Vienna is the centre of Europe, the musical capital, the birthplace of psychoanalysis and the crossroads of cultures. The magnificent Belvedere palace houses works that help you discover all facets of this city and the specific Austrian identity. Genius loci, i.e. the “spirit of place”, by the will of the artist, and often in spite of it, is contained in each and every piece. This tour will give you an insight into the major works of Vienna's painters and sculptors and help you to understand Austrian art, culture and mentality.

As you admire the masterpieces of painting, you will see that nothing is accidental in art. For example, looking at Gustav Klimt's “The Kiss” and “Judith”, you will understand why female sexuality came into medical focus in Vienna, while Egon Schiele's “Death and the Maiden” and “Embrace” will explain how this city became the birthplace of psychoanalysis.

Ferdinand Waldmüller's canvases will demonstrate the Austrian tendency to turn even tragedy into a well-selling image. And even the Baroque interior of the Belvedere Palace itself, with its abundance of ancient heroic themes in the decoration and portraits of commanders, gives an idea of the distinctive majesty that impregnates Vienna's flair.

Each and every person in Vienna feels the special aura of this city, and in the Belvedere Palace you can not only see the iconic images that shaped it, but also feel and appreciate that aura at its finest.