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Graz

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The Grazer Schloßberg Clock Tower.

Graz [graːts] (ethyomologically from Slovenian: Gradec IPA: /gra.deʦ/, "little castle"), with a population of 285,470 as of 2006 (of which 248,146 have principal residence status), is the second-largest city in Austria after Vienna and the capital of the federal state of Styria (Steiermark in German). It has a long tradition as a student city, with six universities with over 40,000 students. Graz's "Old Town" is one of the best-preserved city centers in Central Europe, and in 1999 was added to the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage Sites. Graz was sole Cultural Capital of Europe for 2003.

Geography

The city is situated on the Mur river, in the southeast of Austria. It is approximately 2.5 hours south of Vienna by train or 2 hours by car. Graz is the capital and largest city in Styria, a green and heavily forested area. The city itself is surrounded by low hills on 3 sides, thus making it predisposed to haze in the warmer months.

Population development

Year Population
1900 168,808
1971 249,089
1991 237,810
2001 226,244
2005 240,278
2006 248,146

The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students. In 2006 there were 37,324 people with secondary residence status in Graz (Graz: Stadtplanung und Stadtentwicklung, 2006).

Population of the metropolitan area was c. 305,000 in 2004.

History

The oldest settlement on the ground of the modern city of Graz dates back to the Copper Age. However, there is no historical continuity of a settlement before the Middle Ages.

The name of the city, and some archeological finds point to the erection of a small castle by South Slavic people, which in time became a heavily defended fortification. 'Gradec' literally means "small castle" in South Slavic languages. The German name 'Graz' was first used in 1128, and during this time dukes under Babenberg rule made the town into an important commercial center. Later Graz came under the rule of the Habsburgs, and in 1281 gained special privileges from King Rudolph I.

In the 14th century Graz became the city of residence of the Inner Austrian line of the Habsburgs. The royalty lived in the Schloßberg castle and from there ruled Styria, Carinthia, and parts of today's Italy and Slovenia (Carniola, Gorizia and Gradisca). In the 16th century, the city's design and planning was primarily controlled by Italian Renaissance architects and artists. One of the most famous buildings built in this style is the Landhaus. It was designed by Domenico dell'Allio, and was used by the local rulers as a governmental headquarters.

Karl-Franzens Universität, also referred to as the University of Graz, is the city's oldest university, founded in 1585 by Archduke Charles II. For most of its existence it was controlled by the Catholic church, and was closed in 1782 by Joseph II in an attempt to gain state control over educational institutions. Joseph II transformed it into a lyceum where civil servants and medical personnel were trained. In 1827 it was re-instituted as a university by Emperor Franz I, thus gaining the name 'Karl-Franzens Universität,' meaning 'Charles-Francis University.' Over 30,000 students currently study at this university.

Nikola Tesla studied electrical engineering at the Polytechnic in Graz in 1875. Nobel Laureate Otto Loewi taught at the University of Graz from 1909 until 1938. Johannes Kepler was a professor of mathematics at the University of Graz. Erwin Schrödinger was briefly chancellor of the University of Graz in 1936.

Adolf Hitler was given a warm welcome when he visited in 1938, the year Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany. The thriving Jewish community was destroyed by the Nazis and their grand synagogue was burnt. A small group of Graz Jews returned despite everything after the war. In 2000, on the anniversary of the Reichskristallnacht, Graz city council presented the Jewish community with a new synagogue as a gesture of reconciliation. Hitler promised the people of Graz 1,000 years of prosperity and an end to mass unemployment: only 7 years later the Graz resistance surrendered the city to Soviet troops sparing Graz any further destruction. By then about 16% of buildings had been destroyed by Allied bombing - luckily the Old Town was not seriously hit.

Graz lies in Styria, or Steiermark in German. Mark is an old German word indicating a large area of land used as a defensive border, in which the peasantry are taught how to organize and fight in the case of an invasion. With a strategic location at the head of the open and fertile Mur valley, Graz was often assaulted (unsuccessfully), e.g. by the Hungarians under Matthias Corvinus in 1481, and by the Ottoman Turks in 1529 and 1532. Apart from the Riegersburg, the Schloßberg was the only fortification in the region that never fell to the Ottoman Turks. Graz is home to the region's provincial armory, which is the world's largest historical collection of Baroque weaponry. It has been preserved since 1551, and displays over 30,000 items.

From the earlier part of the 15th century Graz was the residence of the younger branch of the Habsburgs, which succeeded to the imperial throne in 1619 in the person of Emperor Ferdinand II, who moved the capital to Vienna. New fortifications were constructed on the Schlossberg at the end of the 16th century. Napoleon's army occupied Graz in 1797. In 1809 the city had to withstand another assault by the French army. During the course of this attack, the commanding officer in the fortress was ordered to defend it with his men against Napoleon's army, which numbered about 900 and 3,000 respectively. He successfully defended the Schloßberg against 8 attacks, but they were forced to give up since the Grande Armee conquered Vienna and the Emperor ordered to surrender. The fortress of Graz is seen as the strongest fortress ever built. Following the defeat of Austria by Napoleonic forces at the Battle of Wagram in 1809, the fortifications were demolished using explosives, as stipulated in the Peace of Schönbrunn of the same year. The belltower and the civic clock tower, often used as the symbol of Graz, were allowed to survive this fate after the people of Graz paid a ransom for their preservation.

Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria had 20,000 Protestant books burned in the square of what is now a mental hospital, and succeeded in returning Styria to the authority of the Holy See. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was born in Graz, in what is now the Stadtmuseum (city museum).

View of the Rathaus or City Hall at dusk.
View of Graz including the Kunsthaus.

Main sights

In the last few years some groundbreakingly modern new public buildings have been erected in the city. The most famous of these include 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.

Old Town

  • Schloßberg, hill dominating the old town, site of demolished fortress, with views over Graz.
  • Uhrturm clocktower, symbol of Graz, on the top of Schlossberg.
  • Neue Gallerie . Museum of art.
  • Schloßbergbahn, a funicular railway up the Schlossberg.
  • The Landeszeughaus, armoury, thelargest of its kind in the world [1],[2].
  • The Schauspielhaus is the principal theatre[3][4],[5].
  • Dom (cathedral), a rare monument of Gothic architecture.
  • Mausoleum.
  • Rathaus (Town Hall).
  • Burg (castle), with Gothic double staircase.
  • Gemaltes Haus ("painted house"), in the Herrengasse.
  • Kunsthaus (museum of modern art).
  • Murinsel, an artificial island in the Mur.
  • Buildings, courtyards and roofscape of the old town. Since 1999 the old town centre of Graz has been listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

Outside the Old Town

Herz-Jesu-Kirche
  • Schloß Eggenberg, a palace on the western edge of Graz with State rooms and museum [6],[7],[8].
  • Basilika Mariatrost, a late Baroque church, on the eastern edge of Graz [9],[10],[11].
  • The Herz Jesu Kirche is the largest church in Graz with the 3rd highest spire in Austria [12].
  • Calvary Hill, with a 17th century calvary and a church.
  • Best viewpoints for vistas of the city are Ruine Gösting, hilltop castle ruins on northwestern edge of city, and Plabutsch, behind Schloss Eggenberg with a hilltop restaurant.

Within the greater Graz area

  • Österreichisches Freilichtmuseum Stübing, an open-air museum containing old farmhouses/farm buildings from all over Austria reassembled in historic setting.
  • Lurgrotte, the most extensive cave system in Austria.
  • Lipizzanergestüt Piber, Lipizzaner stud where the famous white horses are bred.
  • The Steirische Weinstrasse is a winegrowing region south of Graz, also known as the "Styrian Tuscany".
  • Thermenregion, spa region east of Graz.
  • Riegersburg, a mighty fortress that was never taken. It was a bastion against historical Turkish invasions [13],[14].

Culture

During 2003 Graz held the title of "European Capital of Culture".

Many festivals take place throughout the year such as the "Styriarte", "Steirischer Herbst", "Jazz Sommer", "La Strada" or "Classics in the City". Some of these events can be visited for free.

Tramway network.

Transportation

An extensive public transportation network makes Graz an easy city to navigate without a car. The city has a comprehensive bus network, complementing a tram network consisting of eight lines, two of which run from the train station to the old town before branching out. One-hour or 24-hour tickets can be bought on all modes of transport for €1.70 and €3.50 respectively, while long-term tickets (e.g. weekly, monthly or yearly) must be bought at the train station or on Jakominiplatz. Tickets are valid on trams, buses, the Schloßberg funicular railway and on suburban rail services within zone 101 (which includes the airport). Furthermore there are seven nightbus routes, although these operate only at weekends and on evenings preceding public holidays.

From the train station, you can take regional trains to most of Styria. Direct trains also run to most major cities nearby including Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Maribor in Slovenia, Zagreb in Croatia, Prague in the Czech Republic and Budapest in Hungary. Trains for Vienna leave every hour.

Graz Airport is about 10 kilometres south of the city centre and has a railway station within walking distance. The main international destinations from Graz are Berlin, London, Oslo, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf.

Sister cities

Famous people

References

  • "Graz: Stadtplanung und Stadtentwicklung" (PDF). 2006. Retrieved 2006-03-18.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Graz.
Preceded by European Capital of Culture
2003 		Succeeded by
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