Graz Austria. Sights in the city of Graz (Austria): where to go, what to see. Clubs and nightlife

Graz is the capital of Styria and the second largest city in Austria, located at the foot of Alpine mountains, on the banks of the Mur River in the south - eastern region country, 200 kilometers from Vienna. On this moment The city is home to about 310,000 people, of which about 50,000 are students. Graz is considered one of the main university centers in Austria - there are 6 universities here. In addition, the city has the status cultural capital Styria concentrated magnificent Opera theatre, concert halls, many museums and art galleries. Since 1999, the center of the Old Town has been included in the list of world cultural heritage UNESCO, and in 2003 Graz was designated European Capital of Culture.

The founding of the city dates back to 900, in 1240 Graz received city status and from 1278 to 1918 it was ruled by the Habsburg dynasty, serving as a brilliant residence for the whole family. The heritage of past centuries has been perfectly preserved in numerous architectural masterpieces: medieval castles, squares and cathedrals.

Area: 128 km²;
Time zone: UTC+1, summer UTC+2;
Population: 276,600.

How to get there

You can get to Graz by plane, train or bus. The city has an airport serving domestic flights from Vienna, and, as well as international ones from Zurich, Istanbul, Antalya, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Frankfurt. Graz has railway connections with many cities not only in Austria, but also in other countries - Germany, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Also intercity and international traffic available via bus routes.

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One of the outstanding attractions of the city of Graz is the Mausoleum, which is a complex that includes the Church of St. Catherine and the tomb of the great Emperor Ferdinand II. It is located in the center of the historical part of the city, adjacent to the huge Cathedral, and the Burg Fortress is located nearby. The mausoleum consists of several buildings connected to each other.

On the site of the current temple there was an ancient religious building dating back to the mid-13th century and also dedicated to St. Catherine. The complex was erected by the Italian court sculptor and architect Giovanni Pietro Pomis at the beginning of the 17th century. The Italian influence is clearly visible in all the buildings - the carved, soft features of the facade and the beautiful oval domes over the tomb. Construction works were completed at the end of the 17th century under Leopold I.

On the roof of the temple there is an elegant monument to St. Catherine, on the sides of which there are figures of two angels. Directly in the tomb itself are the graves of Ferdinand II, his mother, his first wife and one of his sons. Every year this place attracts many tourists who want to enjoy this architectural landmark with their own eyes.

Town Hall

"Heart" Austrian city Graz is the building of the City Hall, which is located on the central square of Haupplatz. The building was erected in 1803 on the site of the old dilapidated town hall. Compared to other local buildings, the Town Hall is considered a rather young building, made in the classicist style. Late in the evening and early in the morning, this structure is unusually austere and beautiful in the iridescent rays of the sun, but in the daytime it is significantly enlivened by numerous market stalls. Here you can buy national clothes, fruits and souvenirs at affordable prices. On the eve of the Christmas holidays, various Christmas fairs and bazaars are organized in front of the Town Hall.

This period begins in mid-November and ends one day before the celebration.

Currently, the Town Hall building in Graz attracts many guests who want to enjoy the beautiful appearance, and also get acquainted with the interior decoration. In addition, visiting Haupplatz square, you can enjoy the magnificent architectural structures different eras. The positive emotions received from the excursion around the city of Graz will remain in your memory for many years.

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The Dome Cathedral

The Dome Cathedral is one of the most important architectural and historical monuments the city of Graz, as well as the federal state of Styria. It was built in the classical Gothic style at the beginning of the 15th century according to the design of the architect Hans Nisenberger. The temple has ancient engraved inscriptions that indicate the stages of construction. In May 1443, Emperor Frederick III visited Graz to participate in the consecration of the monastery. Until 1574, the Dome Cathedral acted as the city's parish church. In 1615, a new beautiful sacristy was built here, which still captivates the views of tourists. In 1617-1667, four chapels were added to the temple, and in 1678 a crypt was erected under it, the central entrance to which was walled up in 1787.

In 1853-1854, unfortunately, the wonderful gallery that connected the cathedral with Graz Castle was destroyed. After the Catholic diocese of Graz-Schekaz was established, the monastery became its main cathedral. In 1962-1963, the interior of the Dome Cathedral was reconstructed according to the plans of the famous architect Karl Raimund Lorenz.

Graz Castle is located in city of the same name, in Austria. It was erected at the foot of the mountain in the middle of the 15th century, by order of Frederick III. The purpose of the construction was to strengthen the city's defense with east side. The style in which the fortress was built is late Gothic.

Subsequently, the castle was modified and expanded more than once. The dungeons of the fortress were connected underground tunnels with Schlossber Castle and the main cathedral of the city, and the castle itself was expanded and fortified with a bastion. In the 18th century, the emperor's residence was transferred to local officials and turned into a state institution. Due to the loss of the defensive function, many elements and premises of the castle related to defense and weapons were changed. During World War II, the castle was practically destroyed. After the war, the Graz fortress was partially restored thanks to major renovations, but restoration work is ongoing at the castle to this day.

Currently, Graz Castle is the seat of the government of the state of Styria. Because of this, inspection interior spaces is inaccessible, but entry to the castle grounds is free, and this presupposes a free inspection of the common courtyard, courts and the famous spiral staircase, for which, as they say, many tourists come here.

Eggenberg Palace

Eggenberg Palace is a stunning site of Renaissance architecture in Austria. The castle has long been a princely residence, which is emphasized by the architectural appearance of the ensemble. The palace was built by order of Prince Eggenberg, which is where it got its name. This happened in 1635.

Today Eggenberg is unique architectural ensemble, reminiscent of Austria's glorious historical past. Here it is richest collection paintings (about 600 exhibits), as well as magnificent interiors. The space of the castle is amazing: 52 rooms, 24 service rooms and 365 windows. As you might guess, these numbers symbolize the astronomical year.

The palace houses an archaeological exhibition where you can see the unique Stretweg cult cart. It is also home to the Graz Art Museum, the oldest in Austria. You will be pleasantly surprised by the palace's furnishings, its historical past and art exhibitions. Come and plunge into the world of antiquity and fine art.

Main square Hauptlpatz

The main square of the city of Graz was first mentioned in documents in 1160. It is known that the square was the center of the city and at the same time its main market. From this place, the city was rebuilt and expanded, thanks to which now the square contains houses built in different architectural styles. In 1878, a fountain with a bronze statue of Archduke Johann appeared on the square.

House No. 1 on the square is the city hall, which houses the mayor's office. Opposite it is the Weiss House, built in 1710. Its façade is decorated with a fresco depicting the Virgin Mary and Child. Among all the houses on the square, B rgerhaus Zum groß en Christoph stands out. This is a five-story house, on the facade of which there is a fresco depicting St. Christopher. And not far from it, on the corner there is house number 11, decorated with rich stucco in the Baroque style. House No. 17 is a palace built in the 16th century that belonged to a family of wealthy merchants named St rgkh.

The part of the square between the fountain and the town hall is often used as a site for various fairs and festivals.

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Gezoise National Park

Gesoise National Park is located in Austria, or more precisely, in the state of Styria. The Enns River flows through the park, so Gesöise itself extends along its valley. The area of the park is 110 square kilometers, which in itself is not small, but it is planned to add another 15 square kilometers to them soon.

Gesoise is the youngest in Austria national park, its founding date is October 26, 2002. Now this national park is the third largest in the country. In general, Gezoise is located in a mountainous area, and therefore is notable mainly for its picturesque mountain landscapes and virgin nature. It is on its territory that picturesque mountain Khokhtor, whose height is as much as 2,369 meters. In addition, in this park you can find many rare plants and animals.

Gezoise is not deprived of historical attractions, among them, for example, the Benedictine monastery of Admont, founded by the Salzburg archbishops in 1074. This monastery is known all over the world, as it is there that one of the largest monastic book depositories in the world is located.

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Franciscan monastery in Graz

Graz, Franziskanerplatz 14

The monastery was founded by the Franciscan order in the 13th century, they were given land at the city gates, and all of its buildings that we can see now belong to the same era, that is, to the 13th - 14th centuries. The oldest part of the complex is the main church, founded in 1257.

Graz is a fairly old city, but it developed very unevenly, in fits and starts. This was due to the fact that Graz either became the residence of the ruler, then ceased to be so, this was repeated several times throughout its history. Its oldest buildings date back to the 12th century, but there are many later buildings, very striking, because each successive ruler began to build new projects or bring the old ones into a more modern form - in the Renaissance or Baroque style most often. The fact that the city is attractive to tourists also greatly contributes to its historical Center Graz did not suffer too much during the war.
Also, its appearance was greatly influenced by the fact that Graz has always been located at the crossroads of countries, languages and cultures. Now it is the second largest city in the country, multinational, multilingual and very youthful - there are about 50 thousand students for a population of 260 thousand.
Old city Graz, its "City Crown" and Eggenberg Castle are included in the List World Heritage UNESCO, and the entire historical center is included there.
The most famous part of the city is the so-called Stadtkrone von Graz, "Graz City Crown". It includes 4 buildings: the Cathedral, Graz Castle, the Church of St. Catherine with the mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand and the Jesuit College.
The cathedral is not very old - it was built only in the 15th century, and its most impressive decorative elements are very poorly preserved. These were paintings on the outer walls - a very small part of them has survived, but the cathedral is very complex and interestingly decorated inside - in the Baroque style.
Graz Castle was built at the same time as the cathedral, it was badly damaged during the war, so not much remains there, but some things are worth seeing: the famous double spiral staircase, built to create an optical illusion, Baroque decoration in the surviving parts and the oldest The surviving part is from the 15th century.
But the imperial mausoleum and the Church of St. Catherine have been preserved since their construction with virtually no losses or changes. They were built at the beginning of the 17th century, there are many non-standard architectural elements, and inside they are very intricately decorated in the Baroque style.
The Jesuit college has also survived. Its building is called Domherrenhof and dates from the late 16th century. This is a very beautiful baroque building, but it is still occupied by the same university founded in the mid-16th century, so the college can only be seen well from the outside.
Graz is also home to one of the most famous castles in Austria - Eggenberg Castle.
It is located on the outskirts, surrounded by a huge park and is considered one of the best examples of Baroque style in the country. The building we see now was built in the 17th century, but it was built on the basis of an older one, and it is all very well preserved. Now the castle is a museum.
Once upon a time there was another large castle-fort in the city, the oldest of all, it was located on Mount Schlessberg. The Clock Tower has been preserved from it - now it is one of the symbols of the city, as well as a large bell tower, but little remains of other parts.
One of the most striking museums in the city is the Styrian Armory. Once upon a time it really was an armory, that is, a storage facility for weapons for the local army, and then it was turned into a museum, simply displaying as exhibits all the samples that had accumulated there over the 300 years of its existence. This is the largest original armory in the world, it is the only one in the world that operates in its own historical building.
Some parts of the Franciscan monastery, the first of those founded in the city, have also been preserved. It has two very beautiful Gothic churches and a unique collection of ancient manuscript literature - one of the best in Austria.
Not too many churches have survived in the city, but many palaces have survived. They were built mainly between the 16th and 18th centuries, are lavishly decorated in the Baroque style and many of them are well preserved. The aristocracy willingly settled in Graz - quite most in its lifetime it was a capital city.
Thus, for example, the Saurau Palace, built in the mid-16th century, has been preserved. Even the original wallpaper on the walls has survived, as well as everything else - rococo decor, stucco molding, paintings, furniture and much more. The Keller Berg Palace is older - its base was built in the 15th century, stucco work, architectural elements and many carved wooden objects have been preserved here.
Attems Palace is much more magnificent - it is a large building, very expressively decorated. It is now occupied by administration and offices, so it is not always easy to get inside, but if you do, you can see the wonderful ceiling and wall paintings. But it’s very easy to get to the Herberstein Palace - the Joanneum Museum is located there, which makes it possible to examine all its unique paintings, stucco moldings and unusual structures in all details.
The city also has several city gates, a castle bell tower and many individual noteworthy old houses scattered throughout the old part of the city. Here the old buildings are really well preserved. The old town of Graz, its "City Crown" and Eggenberg Castle are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, with the entire historical center included there. It is a bright, colorful city with busy streets, good shopping, active nightlife and a lot of young people.

general information

By the end of the 14th century, Graz was the crown jewel of the Habsburg Empire. Frederick III, King of Germany, Duke of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor, immortalized the abbreviation of his motto - AEIOU, or "Austria Est Imperare Orbi Universo" ("Austria shall rule the world") on some of the city's buildings. At the beginning of the 19th century, Duke Johann founded the first museum in Austria, defining the direction cultural development for many years.

Graz has a large natural history museum, but perhaps more interesting museum can be considered an Arsenal with a stunning collection of more than 30,000 weapons on display, mostly dating from the 17th century. There are many museums in Graz, but the city itself can hardly be named museum exhibit. After all, there are three universities here.

Tourists are attracted by the city's architecture. Among the attractions is the remarkable palace and its courtyard in the Italian Renaissance style, with three-tiered arcades. Schlosberg Castle, a baroque Eggenberg palace built in the 17th century.

The city has a magnificent cathedral, the Domkirche, with unusual paintings on the outside dating from the 1480s, and next to it is the Baroque mausoleum of Ferdinand II.

Graz has long been a city of students, with four universities with more than 50 thousand students. In 2003, Graz was the European Capital of Culture. The Domkirche church and Schlossberg castle, together with the city's tiled roofs, give Graz its special charm. In 1999, the center of the Old Town of Graz was declared world-class by UNESCO.

Graz has developed industries such as brewing, mechanical engineering, chemicals, food and textiles. The International Graz Fair is an important commercial and industrial event in south-eastern Europe.

Only Vienna, the capital of Austria, can surpass the size of Graz, located in the southeast of the country. Thanks to the many universities located in the city, Graz is lively city. And the buildings in the Baroque style contrast perfectly with the courtyards of the 16th century and with the shocking monuments of modern architecture.

The old town, which is under UNESCO protection, is replete with works of architectural art. The Mur River, flowing through the city, rushes its streams to the picturesque countryside.

The main attraction of any city is its central square, and Graz is no exception. During the Middle Ages, this city was a center of trade, so fairs and a market were held here. And the traders themselves lived on trading floors. Nowadays, the architecture of the houses adjacent to the western part of the Main Square is reminiscent of the medieval fairs that took place on this site.

Since 1878, the fountain-monument has risen above the shopping stalls, which attract local dairy products, fruits, ice cream and even pumpkin seed oil. The monument itself is dedicated to the “Styrian prince” Archduke Johann (1782-1859). In 2002, the Main Square was redesigned by Graz architect Markus Pernthaler.

The large area in front of the town hall is now vacant and used for various events. In the evenings, warm indirect light highlights the impressive multi-colored facades of the Main Square.

Location: Hauptpl - 1.

The modern building of the Graz Town Hall was erected in 1805-1807. designed by Christoph Stadler. Money for construction was raised through the introduction of a tax on wine. Over time, the Town Hall was expanded, and now it is a four-story building with a facade in the old German style. It is decorated with allegorical statues of “Art”, “Science”, “Trade” and “Industry”.

Location: Hauptplatz.

Corner Northern Italy right in the center of Graz. In fact, Landhaus resembles some Venetian palazzo. In 1557, the Italian architect Domenico dell'Alio began building a prestigious building for the Styrians. Not only the main facade of the building is impressive, but also the arcade of the Renaissance-style courtyard does not leave tourists indifferent.

Often people simply stand in amazement as soon as they enter a spacious courtyard for the first time. Arcades on all three floors of the building, copper gargoyles from the 16th century, and a bronze fountain are all works of architectural art. The interior of the Landhouse is decorated with Baroque style furniture. The meeting room stands out thanks to the stucco ceiling made by Johann Angelo Formentini.

The turquoise domes tower over us like a mausoleum and, together with the cathedral and the Church of St. Catherine, define the magnificent view of the city. In 1614, Emperor Ferdinand II commissioned his court Italian artist and architect to build a mausoleum next to the Church of St. Catherine. But it was only under Ferdinand’s great-grandson Leopold that the interior decoration was designed.

Location: Buergergasse.

Another street in Graz that is really worth a stroll. Coming from main square to the funicular station, tourists are on the street of arts. Here you can find antique shops, galleries, jewelry stores, workshops, museums that offer works of art, both ancient and modern. On the same street is the famous German store Kastner&Öhler.

Sporgasse is a large pedestrian area and a busy shopping street. Unnoticed, it has become a paradise for ice cream lovers: a sea of shops offering the most exotic flavors of the cold dessert. In addition, Footlocker (sports shoe store), Geox (stylish shoe store), Swatch (Swiss watch store), etc. are located here.

This attraction was built in 2003. The unusual shape of this building differs from the usual museums of modern art, which are designed in the modernist “White Cube” style.

Affectionately dubbed "The Friendly Alien" by its creators Colin Forner and Peter Cook, the enormous building stands out from its surrounding landscape of Baroque buildings. This museum does not have long-term exhibitions. Its exclusive goal is to find and present works of contemporary art.

Location: Lendkai - 1.

The hill is covered with trees and is now a public park so that any tourist can enjoy an expansive view of the city. On the territory of this park, anyone can taste the dishes local cuisine in cafes and restaurants. As for the historical past of Schlosberg Castle, in the mid-16th century, according to the design of Italian architects, a fortress with a height of 400 meters.

It is noteworthy that no one was able to conquer this castle in all 5 centuries of its existence, but it was seriously damaged by the Napoleonic army in 1809. Today, the park area includes a clock tower, a bell tower, a small fountain and two bastions of the old castle.

It was built in a medieval style and attracts tourists not only with its appearance, but also with the opportunity to look at the entire city from a bird's eye view. Thanks to the fact that the townspeople paid a ransom to Napoleon in 1809, the tower was left intact and unharmed. The hands on the clock are quite unusual due to the fact that the large hand shows the hours and the small hand shows the minutes.

It was built by order of Archduke Charles II in 1588. Inside is the famous bell of Graz, which is called the bell of the Turks. The bell strikes 101 times a day, since it itself was cast from exactly 101 Turkish cannonballs.

The Eggenberg is the most significant Baroque building built in the state of Styria. It is located on the western border of Graz. In the northern part of Eggenberg there is the Planetary Garden and the Lapidarium of Roman stonework. Moreover, in the same part of the palace, visitors can enter Archaeological Museum, which displays many pieces of history, including the Stretweg Cult Cart. This palace is considered one of the most valuable places in Austria due to its extensive picturesque gardens, exhibits of the Johanneum Universal Museum, etc.

Location: Eggenberger Allee - 90.

In the 15th-18th centuries federal state Styria was the front line in the long conflict with Ottoman Empire, as well as in the fight against uprisings in Hungary. Accordingly, the army needed large quantities weapons and places for storing them. In 1642-1645 the Arsenal of Styria was built by the Tyrolean architect Antonio Solar.

Today, this museum is considered the world's largest historical armory, which attracts tourists from all over the world. It stores about 32,000 types of weapons, tools, armor for battles and parades.

Location: Herrengasse - 16.

This pilgrimage church is located on the top of the Purberg hill (469 m) in the northeast of Graz. Anyone can reach the basilica by climbing about 200 steps of the Angelus Staircase. This church was built in the Baroque style. The two front towers and the dome, which are visible from a long distance, are the main attributes of the basilica. The church was built over 10 years from 1714 to 1724.

Location: Kirchpl. - 8.