This is one of the best preserved old towns in Austria.
Here they have the most important historical weapon collection in the world, many
amazing palaces, churches and inspiring modern architecture. And despite all this you’ve probably
never even heard of this place. This is Graz, capital city of Austrian region of Styria and
second-largest city in Austria. Hi guys, my name is Rok and I’ve spent the last 9 years travelling
around Europe as a tour guide and I can’t wait to show you Things To Do In Graz, Austria.
Above the old town and the river Mur rises this hill that offers the best view of Graz. It is
called the castle hill, as for almost 1000 years castles stood on its top. They were invincible
as no foreign army ever conquered this hill. Even the name of the city, Graz, originates from Slavic
word for a small castle. But in the mid 16th century a new mighty fortress was constructed.
When in the 1800s Napoleon conquered the rest of Europe his army also came to Graz, but failed
to conquer this fortress. Unfortunately Graz was part of the Habsburg Empire that was later
defeated by Napoleon. After the victory Napoleon ordered the demolition of the Graz fortress.
But somehow few parts managed to survive as Citizens of Graz paid a huge ransom to the French
in order to preserve the Clock Tower and this small part of the fortress.
To get up here you can walk 260 stairs leading from the old town. If you don’t like walking,
you can go into the tunnel right next to the steps. The tunnel under the castle hill was built
as an air raid shelter during World War II and houses a lift that takes you to the top. Another
option is a ride with Schlossberg funicular railway that has been running since 1894.
This Clock Tower is a beloved landmark of Graz. It is known as the Uhrturm and is one of the main
reasons why citizens of Graz paid huge ransom to the French as they really wanted to keep it. The
Clock tower got its current shape in the mid 16 century when the last fortress was reconstructed.
It has three bells hanging on the outside. One of them is the oldest bell of Graz from the
1300s that strikes the hours. Second bell is from the 1400s and was ringing during
executions. The third bell is a fire bell from the 1600s. And inside the tower is another bell,
the heaviest bell of Graz. At the corners of the tower you can spot coats of arms,
formerly decorating gates and walls of the Schlossberg fortress. Clock face of the
tower often confuses people as its hour hand is longer than a minute hand. Originally the clock
only showed hours, and the hour hand was as big as possible to be seen from a distance.
As the minute hand was added later, it simply couldn’t be any longer, so it was made shorter.
Besides old landmarks, Graz is also famous for its modern architecture. This is one of them,
an artificial floating island made from glass and steel in the middle of the Mur river.
It links two banks of the river and creates a space between the river and
city. It was commissioned as part of the city’s role as Capital of Culture
in 2003. Inside of the rippling domed interior of the Island is an amphitheater, a cafe,
and a playground. Thanks to its illumination the island is also impressive at night.
At exactly 11 am, 3 pm and 6 pm you can enjoy a show made by the 1800s Glockenspiel clock.
The arcaded windows in the gable open to show a dancing couple in traditional Styrian costumes
accompanied by three melodies. At the end the golden rooster on the top flaps his wings.
Melodies are changed five times a year. Glockenspiel was commissioned by a successful
businessman and spirits producer Gottfried Maurer. On his journeys to North Germany and Belgium
the businessman got to know carillons and had one installed in his house in Graz. In his testament
he left the carillon to the city of Graz under the condition that it remains to be maintained.
Despite the fact that the fortress on the castle hill was demolished by Napoleon,
Graz still has its castle. In the old town stands a castle from the 1400s known as The Burg. This
castle is a reminder of the days when Graz was ruled by emperor Frederick III who became one of
the most powerful rulers on the planet as The Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick III built this residence
together with the cathedral right next to it. The Burg is famous for its double-spiral staircase.
Two flights of staircases are running in opposite directions, join for some steps on each floor
and separate again. This architectural Gothic masterpiece of 1499 has often been interpreted
as a symbol of eternity and people of Graz call it the stairs of reconciliation. If you go separate
ways, you will reunite. The castle is only partially open to the public as it houses a seat
of the regional government. Only the courtyards and the double spiral staircase can be visited.
Right next to the castle is the cathedral also built in the 1400s. This late Gothic
style church was refurbished in Baroque style by the Jesuits, who owned it for nearly 200 years.
The exterior of the cathedral looks very moderate, but originally it was covered in frescos. Today,
only one fresco has been preserved titled God’s Plagues that can be found on the southern facade
and it is protected by the glass wall. This image depicts the string of horrific events
the city suffered in 1480. Locusts, war and the Black Death plagued Graz during this time and the
fresco was created as a plea to God for mercy. Inside you can marvel at its ornate high altar,
pulpit and frescos. Cathedral is also famous for its impressive organ and two reliquaries on
either side of the chancel entrance. These two mid-15th-century chests were originally bridal
chests and Jesuits used them as containers for the bones of Christian martyrs. Graz Cathedral
is also used as a venue for the concerts and is open daily and there is no entry fee.
Right next to the cathedral is a huge and beautiful
17 century mausoleum housing the body of Emperor Ferdinand II,
another Holy Roman Emperor from the 1600s. Visiting the mausoleum is also free of charge.
The spectacular building houses the Contemporary Art Gallery and is known as Kunsthaus. It floats
like a mysterious blue balloon between the roofs of the historic city centre and was named a
friendly alien by its architects. It was built as part of the programme for the 2003 European
Capital of Culture and has immediately become a new architectural landmark in Graz. It has
a unique shape and striking colour and in the evening it communicates with its urban
surroundings through its media façade. Daylight enters the gallery through its nozzles on top. One
of the nozzles is pointed directly to the Clock Tower, the traditional landmark of Graz to bring
it into the Kunsthaus. The transparent base of the building houses a restaurant and a media lounge.
Moving belt draws visitors into the interior which on its two floors offers different kinds
of exhibitions and art of the past four decades. Kunsthaus is open every day from 10am to 6pm.
This beautiful main pedestrian street connects the main square known as Hauptplatz and Jakominiplatz
square. Two tram lines split the pedestrian street that is lined with magnificent old palaces,
full of nice shops. But this old palace houses the biggest and most important historical weapon
collection in the world. You see, between the 15th and the 18th centuries Graz was in
the middle of a very turbulent time. The region experienced continuous armed raids and military
conflicts with Hungarian rebels and the Ottoman Empire. That is why in the 1600s this building
was purposely built as a regional armoury. As armed conflicts faded during the 18th century,
the armoury became less important. But instead of shutting it down,
Graz armoury was preserved and in the 19th century it became one of the largest preserved historic
armouries in the world. The armoury has more than 32.000 objects arranged on four floors
and it is a spectacular place to visit. You can see old firearms and pistols, Helmets,
Suits of Armour and horse’s armour, all sorts of swords and other edged and staff weapons. Armoury
is open from Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 10 am to 5 pm.
This is one of the most impressive palaces in Austria and is part of UNESCO world heritage
Sites. It was built as a residence for imperial governor Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg in the 1600s.
The palace is set within a beautiful park and was built as a symbolic representation of the
universe. The building represents a precisely calculated cosmos. 365 windows, 31 rooms on each
floor, 24 state rooms with 52 doors, 4 corner towers - all allusions to time, to the seasons,
to weeks, days, hours, minutes. The cycle of 24 State Rooms with precious original interiors,
historical furniture and over 500 ceiling paintings represents historical interiors that
can't be matched anywhere else on the planet. At the centre is the splendid Planetary Room that is
also famous for its astronomical symbolism. State rooms can be visited only as part of a guided tour
from Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays, every full hour from 10 am to 4 pm. While you
wait for your tour you can visit other parts of the palace where you will find exhibitions,
coin collection, gothic chapel and an art gallery with an impressive and extensive historical
artwork collection. Or you can spend your time in the park. Park has changed with the taste
of the times and In the mid-19th century it was converted into the landscape garden we see today.
In the park is also an archaeological museum and
a cafe pavilion. You can get here by using tram line 1 that runs frequently.
No wonder that the Historic Centre of Graz is part of UNESCO World Heritage,
as it has amazing, charming streets and squares surrounded by beautiful historical buildings.
But the biggest and the most important one is this beautiful main square known as the Hauptplatz. It
serves as an important hub as it is a crossroad of major streets and a stop for all tram lines in the
city. Square is surrounded by beautiful old houses and palaces with shops, restaurants and cafés that
spread their tables around. Most prominent among them is the 15th-century Luegg Haus,
with its arcaded walkway and splendid baroque facade that houses a Swarovski shop. Just open
your eyes and you will see many more impressive historic houses. But the most dominant palace
on the square is the 19th century city hall. In the middle of the square are food stalls as
a reminder that in the Middle Ages this used to be a central market and ever since this square
has remained the meeting spot of Graz. In the middle is also a fountain from the 19th century
dedicated to the Styrian prince that introduced reforms that greatly benefited the city of
Graz and the province of Styria. The fountain is surrounded by four female figures symbolising four
rivers of Styria. This beautiful and lively square is often used as a venue for different festivals
and events. At the time of my visit the artist and kids were creating sculptures from sand.
Graz is full of charming old streets and squares and it also offers many more interesting museums.
That is why I would recommend you to buy a Joanneum ticket as it can save you a lot of money.
Besides the entry to three places I showed you, the ticket also offers entry to many other
interesting places. You can get a 24 hour ticket for 16 euro and a 48 hour ticket for 23 euro.
You can buy it online or at the ticket office at any of the sights. Unfortunately most museums in
Graz are open only from 10 am to 5pm and are closed on Mondays. Majority of sights
I showed you can be visited on foot, as Graz historic town is very compact. But you can also
use public transport around the old town free of charge. Each stop in the free travel zone has an
Old Town tram sticker. If you want to use a tram to get to Eggenberg Palace or some other places
outside the historic core don’t forget to buy a ticket. Tickets are valid for all bus and tram
lines as well as for the Schlossberg funicular. If you want to see why Graz is also known as the
Capital of Delight and City of Design, check out my upcoming video in the top corner.
You can also check my other Austria videos by clicking on the playlist in the top corner.
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