Winterpalais Originally built as a lavish stately residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Winter Palace was acquired by Empress Maria Theresa in the mid-eighteenth century. Used as the Court Treasury and later as the Ministry of Finance, this Baroque jewel at the heart of Vienna has now, once again, become a center of art and culture. By reuniting the town mansion and garden palaces (Winter Palace and Belvedere) after over 260 years, a further important art venue shall become established in Vienna’s city center, building on the wide-ranging legacy of the cosmopolitan Prince Eugene.