Thursday 29 October 2009

Blue Hour At Prince Eugene's Belvedere


The Upper Cascade
in the Palace Gardens of Prince Eugene of Savoy's
summer residence, the "Belvedere",
located about a third of the way
down the hill from the Upper Palace
towards the Lower Belvedere Palace.

The Upper Belvedere
A view from the bottom of the steps
that lead to the
Upper Belvedere

The Lower Belvedere Palace
and the Inner City with
St. Stephan's Cathedral beyond.

Lower Belvedere Palace
The gate to the left opens to
gardens of the Orangery.
Prince Eugene was fond of exotic plants.
In his country palace, "Schloss Hof",
the Orangery was one of the largest
and most innovative of his time. *

Wilder Wein
The brilliant reds of the
Virginia Creeper climbing the west wall
of the Orangery's garden
play with the muted tones
of the blue hour,
before irrevocably
descending into dusk.

Lower Belvedere Palace
We get a glimpse of the silhoutte of
a statue in the entrance hall
of the palace.

Blue Hour
Walking back up the hill,
with the sun now set beyond the horizon,
the sky over the Upper Palace appears
to be tinted indigo blue.

Vienna in Blue
Beyond the Lower Belvedere Palace,
the Inner City has changed
into evening glamour.
St. Stephen's steeple, illuminated beacon,
will guide us
safely home.

*

Photographed by Merisi
in the Blue Hour
of Wednesday,
28 October 2009


*) Click on the picture
for a virtual visit to
Prince Eugene's "Schloss Hof"


16 comments:

  1. I had hoped to be able to get to the Belvedere in time for the Golden Hour, but when I finally was free to go there, the sun was already disappearing behind the buildings. Still, it was a wonderful evening walk. It took more than hour to walk from the Upper Palace to the Lower one, crisscrossing the gardens, and then back up again. I set my camera at ISO 400, the light was poor and I don't carry a tripod (would I ever!), and captured whatever the available light would still allow me to.

    I arrived at the Belvedere all tired and exhausted. After the hourlong walk I felt refreshed and ready to brave the evening. Such is the power of beauty around you!

    A wonderful day to all of you,
    thank you for yesterday's kind comment,
    I appreciate each and every one,
    Merisi

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  2. i've often wondered what it must've been like to live, to actually live, in a place like that... and i can't....

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  3. Such a sense of graceful order to this architecture . . . and the blue hour is a lovely time.

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  4. Merisi,

    "The Blue Hour"--what a perfect designation...I will never think of dusk in the same way again...these photos, as always, are perfection...I wish, like Mary Poppins, that I could pop into your pictures for a jolly holiday! The palace is exquisite...what joy it must bring you to be able to ramble in such gorgeous places! And I love orangeries...Jefferson had one at Monticello, I believe...they are such delightful, and peaceful spaces!!! Ahh, my soul will meditate on the beauty and peace of this post for the remainder of my day!!! Love to you~Janine XO

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  5. More beautiful photos--you gotta' love Virginia Creeper, too, eh? So brilliant.

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  6. I'm drooling, imagining the walk you took, the beautiful gardens and statues. Eugene Savoy, was he related to the Italian King Emmanuel?

    Isn't there a Belvedere Palace/Gardens on Lake Como too?

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  7. Lovely!! Love the fall colors of the Virginia Creeper!! enJOY your day!!

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  8. Gorgeously evocative pictures!

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  9. I've never been to the Belvedere, but now I wish I had gone when I had the chance. Thanks for the beautiful pictures!

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  10. What a wonderful building! Very great photos!

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  11. Beautiful. A Viennese Versailles. And I love the term "The Blue Hour"--so evocative. Thank you for these lovely photos & descriptions.

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  12. Now I see why the French associate pastry with Viennese architecture...
    Piece of cake..

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  13. Love the evening shot of Schloss Belvedere!

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  14. It just does not seem right, these photos.
    It seemeth unreal.
    So beautiful. So gorgeous.

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  15. Sigh. Sigh. SIGH.

    Dear Merisi, fancy a cultual exchange? A mutual house sit (except I can't guarantee I'd give yours back!) :)

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