Traveling to Graz?
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Graz, Austria's second-largest city, conceals the soul of a true medieval gem — its Old Town is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and delights visitors at every turn. With the Schlossberg fortress keeping watch over the red rooftops and a vibrant market quarter below, the city blends Baroque elegance with contemporary art and gastronomy. Graz is the perfect destination for those who want to discover Austria beyond the bustle of Vienna.
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A rock rising 473 metres above the centre of Graz, it is the only place in the city that Napoleon did not raze to the ground in 1809 — the women of Graz paid a ransom to save the bell tower. The Clock Tower, dating from 1588, has an unusual arrangement of hands: the large hand shows the hours and the small one the minutes, the opposite of what one would expect, because the small hand was only added centuries later. From the platform you can see the entire historic centre, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999, with its red rooftops stretching to the horizon.
The central square of Graz, established in the 12th century when the city was granted market rights, is surrounded by Baroque and Renaissance façades that developed between the 16th and 18th centuries. The commanding Erzherzog-Johann-Brunnen fountain, erected in 1878, features a bronze statue of Archduke Johann depicted pointing southward, towards the mountains and rivers whose development he financed in Styria.
A Renaissance palace dating from 1625, built on the commission of Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg — its 365 windows symbolise the days of the year, its 24 state rooms the hours of the day, and its 4 towers the seasons. The State Rooms preserve original hunting trophies and a 17th-century Flemish tapestry that covers an entire wall. The palace has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010, and its Baroque garden is also home to one of the rare populations of European peacocks roaming freely within city limits.
A thermal complex in eastern Styria, conceived by Friedensreich Hundertwasser and built as a vast, inhabitable work of art: green rooftops, organic forms, colourful facades,…
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A dark green oil pressed from roasted hulless pumpkin seeds, with a rich, nutty flavour. It is drizzled over salads, pumpkin soup, and even vanilla ice cream.
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