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François-Eugene, Prince of Savoy-Carignan (1663-1736), known as Principe Eugenio di Savoia in Italian and Prinz Eugen von Savoyen in German, was one of the greatest generals to serve the Habsburgs. He had his winter residence (Stadtpalais) in Vienna the construction of which started in 1697 under the guidance of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The palace is well-known for its staircase, designed by Fischer von Erlach, but created by Giovanni Giuliani.
In 1696 Fischer von Erlach was awarded the commission to build a town palace for Prince Eugene of Savoy. He designed a building of seven bays which was to be extended in later years. In comparison to the garden palaces, his design seems astonishingly sober, quite different from the Viennese taste of the time. This may have been the reason why Prince Eugene took the commission from Fischer and from 1700 gave it to his great rival Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt.
The picture shows the staircase hall of Prince Eugene's former city palace.
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