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| Bramante's Cortile del Belvedere |
Literally translating as ‘beautiful view', the belvedere is a garden building positioned to take advantage of a particularly commanding vista over the garden and/or out to the landscape beyond. With its origins as a defensive turret or look-out position, the belvedere was first used as an ornamental feature in the gardens of the Italian Renaissance. A particularly fine example is in the Vatican Gardens, Rome, where the appropriately named Belvedere Court was designed by Donato Bramante for Pope Julius II from c.1505.
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| The Gloriette at Schönbrunn |
As an intrinsic feature of the Italian Renaissance Garden, the belvedere made its way across Europe. In Vienna is to be found both the Belvedere Palace and the belvedere at Schönbrunn - although the latterit technically a gloriette - a belvedere on an elevated site.
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| Schönbrunn from the Gloriette |
In Britain, it could be argued that the banqueting houses and buildings placed on top of the Mount, a Tudor innovation, were, in fact, an early form of belvedere since they provided a view out and had evolved from defensive look-outs. The Renaissance-influenced belvedere became a particularly popular feature of 18th century landscape gardens.
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| The Belvedere Tower at Claremont |
Generally taking the form of a tower, they both provided an eye-catching feature within the landscape, and gave a stunning view over the surrounding countryside when climbed. Arguably Sir John Vanbrugh designed the finest example at Claremont.
