Graz, Austria

Graz is the capital city of the southern Austrian province of Styria. At its heart is Hauptplatz, the medieval old town’s main square. Shops and restaurants line the narrow surrounding streets, which blend Renaissance and baroque architecture. A funicular leads up Schlossberg, the town hill, to the Uhrturm, a centuries-old clock tower. Across the River Mur, futuristic Kunsthaus Graz exhibits contemporary art.

Graz is an ideal destination for a day trip by car or train from Vienna, but there is plenty to see and do to warrant a longer visit.

A treat for anyone travelling by train between Vienna and Graz is the opportunity travel through the Semmering railway, one of the most scenic rail routes through the European Alps. The Semmering railway was the first mountain railway in Europe built with a standard gauge track. It is commonly referred to as the world’s first true mountain railway, given the very difficult terrain and the considerable altitude difference that was mastered during its construction.

Rail Travel Times:

Graz to Vienna: 2 hrs 35 mins

Graz to Maribor: 1 hr 3 mins

Graz to Salzburg: 4 hrs

Graz to Munich: 6 hrs

Plan and Book:

Graz: See and Do

With a population of around 300,000 Graz has a long tradition as a university town: its six universities have more than 44,000 students. Its Old Town is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe, being on the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage Sites. Graz is situated on the Mur River in the southeast of Austria. It is about 200 km (120 mi) southwest of Vienna. The nearest larger urban center is Maribor in Slovenia which is about 50 km away. Graz is the capital and largest city in Styria, a green and heavily forested area.

Graz is situated on the Mur River in the southeast of Austria. It is about 200 km southwest of Vienna. The nearest larger urban center is Maribor in Slovenia which is about 50 km (31 mi) away. Graz is the capital and largest city in Styria, a green and heavily forested area.

Politically and culturally, Graz was for centuries more important for Slovenes than Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, and still remains influential. Graz was declared Cultural Capital of Europe for 2003 and got the title of a City of Culinary Delights in 2008. For Graz’s stint as Cultural Capital of Europe some strikingly modern new public buildings were erected in the city. The most famous is the Kunsthaus (house of modern art) designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, a museum constructed right next to the river Mur, and the “Murinsel” (island in the Mur), an island made of steel, situated in the river. It was designed by the American architect Vito Acconci and contains a café, an open-air theatre and a playground.

Highlights

The Old Town is the main attraction for visitors and is very easy to walk around. The Old Town and the adjacent districts are characterized by the historic residential buildings and churches found there. In the outer districts buildings are predominantly of the architectural styles from the second half of the 20th century. The most important sights in the Old Town are:


Schlossberg

Schlossberg, hill dominating the old town (475 metres high), site of demolished fortress, with views over Graz. Schlossbergbahn is a funicular railway up the Schlossberg. The Schlossbergbahn cabins carry visitors up and down the central Schlossberg hill of Graz in just a minute and a half. Riding the steep incline of the track offers the odd thrill and wonderful views of Graz. A fairy tale train operates within the tunnels of the Schlossberg. There’s the witches’ domain, the meadow of flowers, the enchanted forest, the den of thieves, the treasure cave and so much more. Riddles are there to be solved and valuable things collected. Ideal for all young and old visitors to Graz from the age of four.

What is odd about the face of the clock tower on the top of Schlossberg is that hours count for more than minutes.


Murinsel

Murinsel, an artificial island in the Mur. The Island in the Mur was commissioned as part of the city’s role as Capital of Culture in 2003. What is clear is its function as a link between river and city, a wonderful place to drink coffee or enjoy a cocktail.

Neue Galerie. Museum of art.


Painted House

On the facade of the Herzoghof building on Herrengasse street in the centre of Graz, Greek and Roman Gods engage in a rendez-vous. The building, known as the Painted House, was first painted as early as 1600. The Baroque painter Johann Mayer applied the ‘divine’ frescos in 1742. If you take a moment to immerse yourself in the images, you enjoy an intense sense of submersion right there in the middle of the urban hustle and bustle.

The Landhaus, the building where the federal state parliament of Styria resides, a palace in Lombardic style. It is one of the most important examples of Renaissance architecture in Austria and was built by the Italian architect Domenico dell’Allio between 1557 and 1565. Concerts, theatre and indeed all manner of festivities take place in the splendid atmosphere of the Landhaus courtyard.


Landeszeughaus

The Landeszeughaus, armoury, the largest of its kind in the world. At the Landeszeughaus armoury of Graz, standing in rank and file are the armour and weapons of valiant warriors of the Middle Ages. The special historical setting and sheer number of collector’s items make a visit to the Graz armoury a treat not to be missed. Its 32,000 exhibits are arranged on four floors.

The Opernhaus, the principal venue for opera, ballet, and operetta performances. It is the 2nd largest opera house in Austria.

The Schauspielhaus, the principal theatre for productions of plays.

Dom (cathedral), a rare monument of Gothic architecture. Once, there were many frescos on the outer walls; today, only a few remain, like the Landplagenbild (“picture of plagues”) painted in 1485, presumably by Thomas von Villach. The three plagues it depicts are locusts, pestilence and the invasion of the Turks, all of them striking the town in 1480. It features the oldest painted view of Graz.


Mausoleum

Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II next to the cathedral, the most important building of Mannerism in Graz. It includes both the grave where Ferdinand II and his wife are buried, and a church dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria.

Burg (castle complex), with Gothic double staircase, built between 1438 and 1453 by Emperor Frederick III because the old castle on the Schlossberg was too small and uncomfortable. The Burg remained the residence of the Inner Austrian Court until 1619. Today, it serves as residence of the government of Styria. Gemaltes Haus (“painted house”), in Herrengasse 3. It is completely covered with frescos (painted in 1742 by Johann Mayer).

Kunsthaus (museum of modern art). The Kunsthaus floats like a mysterious blue balloon between the roofs of the historic city centre. Named friendly alien by its creators, its fascinating magic draws visitors in.


Eggenberg Palace

Eggenberg Palace on the edge of the city centre is set within a beautiful park. It was the main palace, laid out as an architectural allegory of the universe. The building represents a precisely calculated cosmos. It was commissioned by Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg from the year 1625 to embody his wish for a harmonious structure, reacting to the chaos of the 16th century. It is today the main University building.

Graz has two substantial rocky hills: the well-known Schlossberg and, further out, the Austein. In a way analogous to Golgotha in Jerusalem, the Via Dolorosa has been reconstructed on this imposing rocky outcrop overlooking the river Mur and the city to the south. Certainly worth a visit and, even if the ascent might still be a little arduous today, a place to reflect.

Transport

An extensive public transport network makes Graz an easy city to navigate without a car. The city has a comprehensive bus network, complementing the Graz tram network consisting of eight lines. Four lines pass through the new underground tramstop at the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) and on to the old town before branching out. Furthermore, there are seven night-time bus routes, although these run only at weekends and on evenings preceding public holidays.

From the main railway station (Graz Hauptbahnhof), regional trains link to most of Styria. Direct trains also run to most major cities nearby including Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Maribor and Ljubljana in Slovenia, Zagreb in Croatia, Budapest in Hungary, Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic, Zurich in Switzerland, as well as Munich, Stuttgart, Heidelberg, and Frankfurt in Germany. Trains for Vienna leave every hour. In recent years many railway stations within the city limits and in the suburbs have been rebuilt or modernised and are now part of the S-Bahn Graz, a commuter train service connecting the city with its suburban area and towns nearby.

Graz Airport is about 10 km (6 mi) south of the city centre and has a railway station (S-Bahn) within walking distance (east of the airport). Graz Airport has flights to various destinations including Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Zürich, Istanbul and Vienna. Ryanair formerly flew to London (Stansted) from Graz until 2012.

Surrounding Area

Graz is the birthplace of internation star Arnold Schwarzenegger, and there is a museum dedicated to him located at his place of birth in Thal near Graz. The beautiful building was constructed in 1806 and is the original forester’s lodge of the Count of Herberstein and Eggenberg.

Location: Linakstrasse 9 8051 Thal. Ph:+43 316 571947

Austrian Aviation Museum: The museum’s aim is to open up aircraft of all kinds, and from throughout the history of flying, to the general public. A wide range of objects such as helicopters, jet planes, propeller-driven planes and gliders, jet engines and a flight simulator can be examined close up.

Location: Thalerhofstrasse 52 8073 Feldkirchen.


Austrian Open Air Museum Stubing

Austrian Open Air Museum Stubing: Written on the village school blackboard are the German words for “Anna eats an apple”, but today’s kids can no longer read that writing style. It’s an all but lost world of rural life and work, living on in around a hundred original farm buildings in a remote tributary valley by the river Mur. At the Austrian Open Air Museum Stubing you can stroll across the whole of Austria and, in an idyllic setting, find out about regionally typical tools and the ways of construction and life of yesteryear.

Location: Enzenbach 32 8114 Stubing. Ph: +43 3124 53700

Kesselfallklamm

The countryside immediately around Graz is wild and romantic. Among the natural attractions hidden away here are narrow gorges and gullies, through which busy streams rush. The beautiful Kesselfallklamm is like a little sister to the mighty Barenschutzklamm. Well secured steps allow you to explore this romantic gully comfortably with children too. At its northern end is the town of Semriach, a health resort popular for its air quality and treasured as a wonderful patch of Styria.

Barenschutzklamm Gorge

Gaze down the torrents on an exciting trip to Barenschutzklamm Gorge. Past roaring waterfalls, bizarre rock formations, rare flora and fauna, the route surges on through one of the longest active gorges in Austria. The exciting ascent involves 164 wooden bridges and ladders along 1300 metres. This involves conquering 350 metres of altitude and, with the aid of illustrative wayside presentation boards, offers the opportunity to get to know about the exhilarating gorge’s fascinating vegetation.

Location: Kirchdorf 16 8132 Pernegg an der Mur. Ph: +43 3867 804411

South Styrian Wine Road

If you venture south, you encounter a kind of heaven on Earth for wine-lovers. The romantic, southern Styrian wine country is just half an hour from Graz and offers choice delicacies. Here numerous prize-winning regional winegrowers produce many a wine of world-champion standard. Traditional ‘buschenschank’ wine taverns offer hearty ‘brettljause’ meals and pure delight for all the senses. Enjoy a view of gentle verdant rolling hills, experience harmony for body and soul. South Styrian Wine Road is often compared to Italy’s Tuscany. Almost no other Austrian wine region has undergone such dramatic transformations in the past 20 years as this region, 1 hour south of Graz. Exquisite wines, wine taverns with enchanting views, fine restaurants and idyllic hiking trails make this off-the-beaten path region a true delight for walkers who love nature, food, and wine.