scubish.com: Travel information for Graz

Graz is the capital of Styria (Steiermark) and the 2nd largest city of Austria.

Understand

Graz is the second-largest city in Austria, with a population of about 285,000. Some 40,000 of this population is made up of students, as Graz is home to no less than six universities (four "standard" universities and two dedicated solely to applied sciences), and is associated with names as illustrious as Johannes Kepler, Erwin Schrödinger and Nikola Tesla.
The roots of Graz can be traced back to the times of the Romans. They were the first who built a small fort where city centre is today. Later, Slovenians built a heavy fortress where the city center is today. The Slovenian name of the castle is Gradec, which means castle. The name Graz is derived from this name. Graz was first mentioned with its German name in 1128 when dukes of Babenberg turned the place into a commercial centre. During 15th century Graz became the capital of inner Austria (refering to Styria,Carinthia and Carniola) under the rule of the Habsburgs.
As stated above, Graz has a rich history in education expressed by the number of universities in the city. The first university was founded in 1585 (Karl-Franzens-Universität).
Due to its importance as a strategic position, Graz was often assaulted by Ottoman Turks in the 16th century. The fortress located on the Schlossberg (the picture to the right shows the clock tower, which is located on top of the hill) never fell to the Turks. (the only place in this region).
During WWII Graz was part of Nazi Germany. At the end of the war Graz surrendered to Soviet troops. Fortunately the historic old town was not seriously hit during allied bombing raids on the city .
In 2003 Graz was the Cultural Capital of Europe.

Graz is also known for the Magna Steyr (formerly called Steyr-Daimler-Puch) automobile and truck manufacturing plant located there.

It is also the birthplace (in nearby Thal) of actor and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Its UPC-Arena was renamed in Schwarzenegger's honor in 1997, but was renamed again in 2005 following controversy over the governor's support of California's death penalty.

Phone: The local area code is (0)316. The country code for Austria is +43.

Get in

By plane

Graz airport (), (Flughafen Graz - Thalerhof), less than 6 miles south of the city center.

Scheduled flights operate to Graz from Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Vienna, Linz, Innsbruck, Zurich, London, Hannover, Gothenburg, Friedrichshafen.

Getting to the City is easy and inexpensive. The train station is located 300 meters from the passenger terminal. Trains leave to Graz Hauptbahnhof (main station) roughly every hour. Fare: 1,70 Euro. As an alternative Buses leave right in front of the passenger terminal. The Bus will take you first to Jakominiplatz and then further to Hauptbahnhof. Fare: €1,70. Of course you can also take a taxi (which is about €20 to the centre of the city) or rent a car.

Nearby Airports are in Maribor, Klagenfurt and a little further away in Ljubljana, Zagreb and Vienna.

By train

The main station (Hauptbahnhof) is on the western edge of the city center, at the end of the Annenstrasse. Timetable. Graz has hourly connections to Vienna. Connections to Salzburg, most other Austrian Cities and Munich about every 2 hours. Less frequent to Slovenia and Hungary. Tram line 3 and 6 (1 and 7 evenings and sundays) connect the main station with the old town.

By car

The A9, runs north-south through Graz, mostly via the 6 mile long Plabutsch tunnel. The A2, just south of the city, runs east-west. Vienna (Wien) is 127 miles (2hrs) up the A2 to the east. A just as fast but much more scenic alternative route to Vienna is via Bruck/Mur taking the S6. (Beware: The dual carriage way is unfinished for a few miles between Graz and Bruck and there are lots of tunnels on the S6!!!) Some might also find the 5-mile-long (single carriageway) Gleinalm (Toll) tunnel on the A9, 15 miles to the north of Graz, unnerving. Toll charge: Gleinalm Tunnel: cars and motorhomes up to 3.5 t: EUR 7.95 | with caravans/trailers: EUR 9.95 | Motorhomes over 3.5 t: EUR 11.50. It is possible to avoid the tunnel by travelling on the rather longer route via Bruck an der Mur.

By bus

Graz does not have a dedicated bus terminal. Private and public operators all operate from separate terminals:

Postbus operates its terminal at Andreas-Hofer-Platz (City Bus 40, 67), with many destinations throughout Styria but also further available.

Bahnbus (Trainbus) operates from a terminal next to the Hauptbahnhof (Tram 3, 6, 14 as well as 1, 7 in the evening, City Buses 50, 52, 53, 58, 63, 85).

Eurolines operates from the same terminal as the Bahnbus at Hautpbahnhof. They offer reasonable cheap tickets to many destinations throughout Europe.

For travels to Austrian destinations check out http://busbahnbim.at , they will find you routes with public buses, trains, and trams to your desired destination. (Although outside of Styria it is limited to trains.)

Get around

Tram - Graz has an excellent tram service running through the Jakominiplatz where the different routes meet and you can change trams and buy tickets at the tobacco kiosk (Tabak). Make sure you punch your ticket inside the tram (If you get caught without a valid/punched ticket you will have to pay a fine of 40 Euros). You can buy hourly, daily, weekly or monthly tickets (also available at the driver). They are valid on all modes of public transport throughout Zone 101 (Graz plus immideate suroundings including the airport!)

Bus - Graz also has an excellent city bus network taking in the parts of Graz not serviced by trams. Many buses go through Jakominiplatz, Hauptbahnhof and Geidorfplatz. The tickets are the same as for the tram. Be sure to get yourself a map (at Jakominiplatz) of the network if you plan to use it frequently. Also check out .

:Tram and Bus Ticket prices: Single ticket (available from the driver) € 1.70 (valid for one hour) Day ticket (available from the driver) € 3.70 (valid for 24 hours) Week ticket € 9.20 and Monthly ticket € 31.10 available from the Office of Transportation at the Hauptplatz.

:Keep in mind that bus and tram services operate from 5am to midnight during the week. Nightbuses operate only at weekends and before public holidays.

Bike - Graz has an excellent network of cyclepaths. Due to this and the relative small size of the city, using a bike to get around, at least the central areas of Graz, is one of the best choices. It also helps that it does not rain a lot in Graz... Bikes may be rented, although if you are staying a bit longer buying a used one (and maybe reselling it) from one of the many bike stores may be cheaper. Bike theft is a common problem in Graz, so take care that your bike is properly locked when you are not using it.

Taxi - Taxis are available 24h a day. You can hail one on the street, go to a taxi- rank or simply order one by phone. The taxi ranks with the best chances of getting a taxi day or night are "Hauptplatz" (Right side of City Hall) or "Hauptbahnhof" . There is a base rate of approx. €3 for all rides. Avoid taxis in the early morning and early evening when traffic congestion can make a taxi ride very expensive. Taxis can be booked by calling 878, 889, 222, 2801.

Car - If you can avoid it, just avoid it. Graz has areas with an inscrutable one-way system which makes it easy to get lost. Parking space in central areas are rare and subject to a fee from Monday to Friday (9.00am to 7.00pm, in some areas to 9pm) and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Tickets can be bought from ticket machines placed in every street. A ticket for half an hour costs €0,60. The maximum parking duration is three hours. There is a big parking garage in the city centre close to Kameliterplatz named Pfauengarten Parkgarage which is open 24h a day. A ticket for one hour costs €2, a 24h ticket costs €12.

See

The historic OLD TOWN. It has been designated a World Heritage site

The Schlossberg (Schloßberg), the castle perched upon a hill in the middle of the city around which Graz sprang up. The funicular (Schloßbergbahn) and elevator (Schloßberglift) will take the effort out of the walk to the top, although to use them would be to miss the wooded paths and some spectacular views.

Clock Tower (Uhrturm) on the top of the Schloßberg, the symbol of Graz.

Eggenberg Castle (Schloss Eggenberg). Early Baroque architecture, lavish state rooms. There is a small (€ 1.00) fee for entering the park surrounding the castle, which they likely will not charge you if you say you intend to take the castle tour. The castle tour is highly recommended though, as it contains dramatic wall and ceiling paintings, elaborate ceramic stoves, and inlaid wood floors. ( Tram 1 direction Eggenberg/UKH) Tel: 583264-0 (free entry to the museum with euro<26 card)

Kunsthaus is Graz's newest exhibition place. It's worth a visit, even if you only look at its design from the outside. It's right across the river from Hauptplatz at the Suedtirolerplatz (Tram 1,3,6,7,14 direction Hauptbahnhof). (You will definitely notice the blue bubble) (free entry with euro<26 card)

Murinsel Originally a temporary project during 2003, people liked it enough so it stayed. An artificial island in the river, with a stage for performances and a coffeehouse.

Joanneum Museum of Styria (Steiermärkische Landesmuseum Joanneum), Raubergasse 10. Tel: 8017-9716 (free entry with euro<26 card)

Armoury (Zeughaus) in the Herrengasse Tel: 8017 9810 open March 19th - October 31th, 2005: Mo to Su 10:00-18:00, Th 10:00-20:00; November 1st, 2005 - März 18th, 2006 Thu to So 10:000 - 15:00; free entry with euro<26 card. Contains an amazing collection of arms and armor, from large two-handed swords and maces to the more modern pistols. Originally the local armory ready to equip the people in the event of an attack, the weapons you'll see here were made for use, not show. English tours are available; enquire early in the day to see what time one will be offered. If you are incredibly enthusiastic about weapons and ask nicely, your guide might treat you to further description of the use and care of the weapons after your tour is completed. Pictures are not allowed, but postcards with pictures of the main pieces can be bought in the gift shop. Be warned, this building gets extremely warm in the summer (especially on the upper floors). Weapons enthusiasts may wish to go early in the day, or you may find your interest waning rapidly as the puddles form around your feet.

See an Opera at the Opera House (Opernhaus). Prices.

On the Kaiser-Josef-Platz, right opposite the Opernhaus, is a fruit and vegetable open-air market where small farmers from the countryside around Graz bring their produce for sale (or rather their wives do). Morning only. The other main farmers market in Graz is located on the "Lendplatz". Morning only.

During the summer months, in the city centre between the Jakominiplatz and the Hauptplatz, along the Herrengasse, you may be fortunate enough to come across musicians of all sorts. Perhaps a small quartet playing Mozart. Perhaps a barrel-organ.

Football at the UPC-Arena, the home of Sturm Graz and Grazer AK in the district of Liebenau, south of the city centre. Ticket prices from 22 to 36.50 Euros : http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadion_Graz-Liebenau

Walk or climb up the Schloßberg and have a meal in the open-air at the top whilst admiring the views. The easiest way is to walk up the Sporgasse from the Hauptplatz to the "Karmeliterplatz" where you walk under a archway on the left where a road meaders up the gentler eastern side of the Schloßberg. From the west and north you have a choice of zig-zag paths or to climb the steps from "Schlossbergplatz". There is also a lift going up at Schlossbergplatz. You also might see some of the tame red squirrels (Eichkätzchen) at the top. Use the Schloßbergbahn, a cable car, which can be found at the Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Kai, to go up or down if you don't feel like walking.

Take the number 1 tram to the terminus at the bottom of the Plabutsch, a hill on the western edge of Graz, and take a stroll up it. Perhaps I should say climb, because it's quite strenuous, and you really need walking boots and perhaps a map. Take Bus number 40 to the terminus and walk up (very steep) to the ruins of "Gösting" castle and enjoy the view over the city.

Swimming. Normally after May, the water in the outdoor swimming pools very quickly warms-up enough to enjoy swimming:

*Eggenberger Bad, Janzgasse 21

*Augartenbad, Schönaugürtel 1, right next to the river Mur and the Schönaubrücke bridge.

*Bad Strassgang, Martinhofstraße 3.

*Margarethenbad, Grillparzerstraße 10.

*Ragnitzbad, Pesendorferweg 7.

*Stukitzbad, Andritzer Reichsstraße 25a.

Boating or skating on the Hilmteich or 'Thalersee (just outside Graz) , depending upon the season.

Royal English cinema,Conrad-von-Hötzendorf-Straße 10, Tel.826133 has Hollywood farye in english language. Take tram Number 4,5 or 13 and get out at Finanzamt. If you are at Jakominplatz its a five-minute walk there. More alternative films can be found at the AUGARTEN KINO in the Friedrichgasse or the RECHBAUER KINO, Rechbauerstrasse.

Buy

Be sure to buy a bottle of "Kernöl" (pumpkin seed oil). This oil is typical for Styria and has a very unique and wonderful taste. Ideally buy it at a (farmer)market (like Kaiser-Josef-Platz, Lendplatz,...). But you can also buy good quality oil at the normal supermarkets.

There are many possibilities to go shopping in Graz. However beware that it's only a small city, thus you will not find the same possibilities as you would in a city like Vienna, Paris or London. Good places to shop are:

Herrengasse - the most important shopping street in Graz. It connects the main square (Hauptplatz) with Jakominiplatz.

numerous lanes in the old town like "Schmiedgasse" or "Sporgasse".

in Kastner+Öhler Graz's big department store, right in the center, next to the main square. There is an underground car-park right underneath.

Steirerhof, Jakominplatz 12. Named after the demolished hotel that occupied the site until recently. Tel: 83 55 70

"CITY PARK" shopping mall situated on south-western edge of central Graz. "Lazarettgürtel 55"

Bigger shopping complexes located outside the city center are:

Shopping Center West - Being already quite a few years old it's a lot smaller than the Shopping City Seiersberg, but it's also nearer to the center. Take tram 5 to Puntigam and then bus number 64.

Shopping City Seiersberg - A new build shopping complex just outside the city limits. Take tram 5 to Puntigam and from there take bus 78. Although the center lies outside of Graz it's still Zone 101, meaning that you will not have to buy an additional public transport ticket.

Eat

Budget

Saegewerk, Schlögelgasse 1 (near Dietrichsteinplatz) , Tel: 820258 - they serve excellent and cheap pizza.

Posaune, Zinzendorfgasse (near KF University) - Like the Saegewerk.

3 GOLDENE KUGELN, 5 restaurants in Graz, Griesplatz(next to the telekom tower), Heinrichstrasse(near K.F.University) , Riesplatz, Annenstrasse(near Hauptbahnhof) and Citypark. Austrian cuisine. large portions!!!, very reasonable prices.

Mid-Range

Traminer Weinstube, Klosterwiesgasse 2 (for all practical purposes, located directly on a corner of Jakominiplatz) - good south-tyrolean wines and fine (almost exclusively organic) food for reasonable prices. The 'Tramina', as it is called, offers a laid-back atmosphere without neglecting it's long tradition and features art exhibitions and live jazz once a week.

Braun de Praun, Morellenfeldgasse 32, Tel: 0316/322093 - Which has an incredible huge menu and reasonable prices.

Brot & Spiele, Mariahilferstrasse 17, Tel: 715081 - They offer american and asian style food for reasonable prices (go for the steaks)

Gloeckl Braeu, Glockenspielplatz 2-3, Tel: 814781 (http://www.gloecklbraeu.at/) - It is possible to sit outdoors and the food is reasonable priced but very tasty! Try the filet steak or the styrian seasonal specialties!

Malaga, Glaciestrasse 43a, Tel. 319678, open Mo-Do 6pm-1am, Fr and Sa until 2am - A nice restaurant which offers a huge menu including mainly spanish and mexican dishes.

Pension Gasthof Zur Steirerstubn, Lendplatz 8 (beginning of Josefigasse), Tel: 0316/716855 - offers Styrian specialties and reasonable prices. Nice traditional furniture. Received some recommendation in 2004 (look at the plate above the door).

Schloßberg-Restaurant, Schloßberg 7/8. Tel: 823050

Take the number 5 tram to Puntigam and eat in the Puntigamer Brewery restaurant, Triesterstraße 361, Tel: 297100, open 10:00-24:00, or outside in the Gastgarten, when the weather permits.

Splurge

Landhaus Keller, Schmiedgasse 9, Tel: 0316/830276 (http://www.landhaus-keller.at/) - It is an upscale restaurant which features Styrian traditional dishes, which is heavy on the pumpkin and pumpkin seed. White tablecloths and nice lighting complement the excellently prepared food. Remember to put your cell phone on silent!

Drink

Due to its importance as a university city, Graz has a vibrant night life.
Bars are concentrated around the old town as well as the Karl-Franzens-University to the west of the old town. The old town has a mixed audience while the bars around university are mostly attended by students.
In the old town you'll also find a few Irish pubs. Whereas the most Irish of them is O'Carolan's right next to the main square (Hauptplatz) others include Flann O'Briens and Molly Malone's. The Office is a very cosy and busy new addition to the Irish/British pub scene in Graz.

The Office Pub, Trauttmansdorffgasse 3, 8010 Graz, Tel. +43/(0)316/89 08 38, E-MAIL:office@theofficepub.at, URL: http://www.theofficepub.at/ BUS STOP:Palais Trauttmansdorff/30 OPENING HOURS: every day from 17-2 (or later) Where the ex-pats get together in Graz! An authentic style English pub, right in the center of graz, cozy atmosphere and affordable prices.PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL-all the big matches LIVE! English speaking staff. PUB QUIZ every Tuesday,LIVE MUSIC, and home made chili, curry, soup or toasted sandwiches. Check website for latest events.

Parkhouse, Stadtpark 2, Tel.827434 - located in the centre of city park, this is a popular place with students. Has laid-back electronic music, concerts and live-DJs in summer. Open daily from 11am to 4am.

NIÚ Cafe-Bar, Graz, Harrachgasse 2, 8010 Graz, Tel.: +43 316 327804, mobil: +43 650 2726333, Internet: http://www.niu-cafe.at, E-Mail: home@niu-cafe.at, opening hours: Mo-Fr 8:00 - 24:00, Sa 8:30 - 24:00, So 8:30 - 22:00 Uhr hotspot for free

Verein FORUM STADTPARK, Stadtpark 1, 8010 Graz, Tel: +43 316 827734, Fax: +43 316 827734-21, E-Mail: forum@mur.at, Oeffnungszeiten: Di. bis Fr., 10 bis 18 Uhr, Sa., So., Ftg., 14 bis 18 Uhr

Café Tribeka, Grieskai 2, 8020 Graz, Tel. +43 316 72 34 69, Fax: +43 316 723669, Internet: http://www.tribeka.at, E-Mail: office@tribeka.at - Coffee-to-Go, free WLAN access.

Bierbaron, Heinrichstr. 56, Tel.321510 - an old, classic student pub.

Theatercafe, Mandellstr. 11, Tel. 825365 - very famous, old (it opened back in 1885) cafe. Popular with people who have a late-nite drink after being in the opera. There is a piano in the cafe offering anyone the opportunity to play if he/she wants to. Famous for its excellent scrambled eggs. Open until the early morning hours. Except during the summer months, cabaret and small stage performances organised by the theater promotion group Hin und Wider

Eschenlaube, Glacisstrasse 63, Tel. 810457 - nice cosy, pub offering asian, Moroccan, italian and styrian food. Open from 11.30am to 1.00pm.

Brot und Spiele, Mariahilferstraße 17, Tel. 0043/316/715081 http://www.brot-spiele.com - very relaxed pub offering different kind of steaks and burgers and a small variety of mexican/asian food both in a smokers and non-smokers area. Offers at least 20 pool tabels, and several snooker tables. Open from 10.00am to 2.00p. http://www.graz.at/cms/ziel/364976/DE/

Cocktail bars

Cohibar, Leonhardstr. 3, Tel. 337470, Cuba-style cocktail bar. Serves tapas and has live music on sundays. Offers free salsa dancing classes every monday. Cocktails are around €6, opening times are 5.00pm to 2.00pm during work days, 5.00pm 3.00pm on Saturdays and 5.00pm to 12.00pm on Sundays.

Buddhabar, Hartiggasse 4, Tel. 820630. Asian-style cocktail bar. Open Mo-Fr 4pm to 2am. Offers barkeeper classes.

Echkhaus, Rechbauerstr. 15, Tel. 0664 4602934, close to the technical university. Offers live-music, serves pizza. Has free internet access. (WLAN hotspot, you have to bring your own notebook along) Open Mo-Fr 9am to 2pm, Sa-So 6pm to 2pm. Cocktails are around €5. Especially popular with students.

Clubs

Alte Postgarage, Dreihackengasse 42, close to Griesplatz. A popular club with live music on weekends. entrance fees are around €8. (special fares apply to students)

PPC, Neubaugasse 6, Tel. 0664 4515038, close to Lendplatz. A club with two floors. Has Live-DJs, Rock, Hip-Hop, Drum & Bass, Techno depending on the event. Usually open between We and So.

Arcadium, Griesgasse 25, Tel. 722098 (close to Südtirolerplatz) Alternative rock/pop music. Has a cosy bar with deck on the top floor. Open Th-So from 6.00pm. Popular with younger people.

Delivery

No(ch)tbier, Weekend home delivery service for beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks, Tel: 0664-913-6966, (http://www.nochtbier.com), Thu 9.00pm-1:00am, Fr & Sa 9:00pm-3:00am

You'll have plenty of opportunities to drink beer (Bier) or wine (Wein) but perhaps the best one would be sitting, on a sunny day, in one of the many open-air bars.

The local beer brands are Murauer, Gösser, Reininghaus and Puntigamer. The latter 2 are brewed in Graz itself. Gösser makes a strong dark brown beer reminiscent of Guinness (Stiftsbräu). But you'll also find lots of possibilities to drink other Austrian and international beers.
Heineken merged in 2003 with the biggest beer group in Austria, therefore you'll often find bars that will only serve beers from the Heineken group. (Gösser, Puntigamer, Zipfer, Wieselburger, Starobruno, Heineken,...)
If you visit Graz in winter try a Bockbier. But beware they are a lot stronger than the usual Austrian beers.

Styrian wine is one of best wines in the world. Especially the white wine. Try a glass of Welschriesling if you get the chance.

Sleep

Budget

Jugendhotel & Jugendgästehaus Graz (Youthhostel Graz), Idlhofgasse 74 (Busstop Lissagasse / Jugendhotel - Route 31,32,33) 22 Euro

Vital Pension Teuschler, Mariatrosterstraße 12, 321448

Centralbackpackers, Rösselmühlgasse 13, 0650-7221070.

Herberge LG4, Luthergasse 4, +43(0)316 327462, +43(0)650 3492761

Mid Range

Ibis Graz, Europaplatz 12 (in front of the main railway station), 7780 (fax: 778300). 62/77 Euro (single/double).

Hotel Europa, Bahnhofgürtel 89 (opposite the main railway station), 7076 (fax: 7076606). 71/94 Euro (single/double).

Best Western Hotel Daniel, Europaplatz 1 (next to main railway station), 711080 (fax: 711085). 86/106 Euro (single/double).

Best Western Hotel Pfeifer Kirchenwirt, Kirchplatz 9 - situated on the eastern edge of Graz, quite a distance from the city center but has semi rural surroundings. (take Tramway 1 to the final stop at Mariatrost) , 3911120 (fax: 39111249).

Splurge

Hotel Gollner, Schlögelgasse 14 (take tram 3 or 6 to Dietrichsteinplatz), 120/200 Euro (single/double).

Erzherzog Johann Hotel Sackstrasse 3-5 (just off the Hauptplatz), 811616 (fax: 811515, ). 102-330 Euro.

Grand Hotel Wiesler, Grieskai 4 - 8, 7066-0 ()

Hotel Weitzer, Grieskai 12-14, 703-0. 110-405 Euro.

Schlossberg Hotel on the Kaiser-Franz-Josef Kai, 8070-0 ()

Get out

Take a trip through winding mountain passes on the 41km long Semmering RailwaySemmering Railway, which runs from Mürzzuschlag to Gloggnitz. A World Heritage site. Ticket information from ÖBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen - the Austrian national rail network).

Drive to the Schöckel, a mountain to the east of Graz. It has a funicular (gondelbahn) so you can drive to the lower station and go up in that if you do not fancy walking. There is a restaurant at the top and extensive views. You can walk down, even back to Graz, via Graz-Andritz and the number 4 tram terminus there, if you have a map. Take Bus 250 (Usually labeled St. Radegund) from Jakominiplatz or Andreas-Hofer-Platz to Seilbahn Talstation. Fare: 5,40 Euro. Duration: 40 min. You'll then be at the foot of the mountain, at the cable car station.

Austrian Open Air Museum (Österreichisches Freilichtmuseum) Stübing, a few miles north of Graz. Old farm buildings brought from all over Austria in a woodland setting. Tel: +43/(0)3124/53 700. mailto:service@freilichtmuseum.at Open 1st of Apr – 31st Oct, 09:00-17:00 (tickets sold till 16:00) closed on Mo (except on holidays), walk yourself or guided tours.

Loipersdorf, 45 miles to the east of Graz, has a spa where you can spend a day, swimming, sun-bathing, and being pampered. Tel: +43 (0) 33 82 / 82 04 -0, mailto:info@therme.at.

Riegersburg is 45 miles to the east of Graz. An ancient castle, perched on a 482 meter high crag, that withstood the Turks. Open daily from 9:00-17:00. The lift operates from 9:00-18:00 (last descent). Various entry concessions but adult EUR 9.50 Child EUR 7. The lift is EUR 2 each way. Tel: +43-3153/8346

Bärenschützklamm. A walk up a gorge between crags and over waterfalls starting from Mixnitz, 25 miles north of Graz, which can reached by road or rail. Or Pernegg an der Mur, Tel: +43 3867/8044.

Kesselfall A waterfall near Semriach, about 25 kilometres north of Graz.

Lurgrotte A cave near Semriach.

Schwarzl Freizeitzentrum (Schwarzl Leisure Center) - a leisure center where you'll be able to do Water Skiing, swimming, diving, surfing, sailing, mountain biking, beach volleyball, go-karting, fishing, and ice skating in season, all at the at the Schwarzlsee, 5 miles south of Graz. Thalerhofstraße 85, Unterpremstätten. Tel: ++43/(0)3135/53577-0

Contact

An internet-cafe (Sit'n'Surf) can be found at Hans-Sachs-Gasse 10 which is close to the Jakominiplatz in the centre of the city. Tel. 316 81 45 65, one hour of internet surfing costs €4,50. As stated above, many pubs offer free WLAN access if you bring your own computer with you.

Graz (etymologically from Slovenian: Gradec IPA: /gra.deʦ/, "little castle"), with a population of 287,723 as of 2006 (of which 250,099 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 south east of Austria. It is approximately 120 miles southwest of Vienna or 2.5 hours by train / 2 hours by car. The nearest larger urban center is Maribor in Slovenia which is about 30 miles away. Graz is the capital and largest city in Styria, a green and heavily forested area.

Climate
Due to its position south east of the Alps Graz is shielded from the prevailing westerly winds that bring weather fronts in from the North Atlantic to north western and central Europe. Because of this factor the weather in Graz is mediterranean influenced. Graz therefore has more hours of sunshine a year than Vienna or Salzburg and also less wind or rain. Graz lies in a basin that only opens to the south causing the climate to be warmer here than would be expected at this Latitude. Plants are found in Graz that normally grow much further south. This milder less windy climate is, however, detrimental to the air quality in Graz as it makes the city prone to Smog in winter. The exaust fumes of the around 120.000 cars driven into Graz every weekday by people living in the surrounding area, together with the car journeys made by the inhabitants of Graz itself are the biggest source of air pollution in Graz.

average temperatures: airport 8.3°C / Karl-Franzens University 9.5°C

average rainfall: 840 mm with on average 131 days of rain

average hours of sunshine: 1900

Neighbouring municipalities
The following towns and villages border Graz:

to the North: Gratkorn, Stattegg, Weinitzen

to the East: Kainbach bei Graz, Hart bei Graz, Raaba

to the South: Gössendorf, Feldkirchen bei Graz, Seiersberg

to the West: Attendorf, Thal, Judendorf-Straßengel

Districts
Graz is divided into 17 districts. They are:

I. Innere Stadt

II. St. Leonhard

III. Geidorf

IV. Lend

V. Gries

VI. Jakomini

VII. Liebenau

VIII. St. Peter

IX. Waltendorf

X. Ries

XI. Mariatrost

XII. Andritz

XIII. Gösting

XIV. Eggenberg

XV. Wetzelsdorf

XVI. Straßgang

XVII. Puntigam

Population development

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. At the end of 2006 there were 37,624 people with secondary residence status in Graz.

Population (with principal residence status) in the agglomeration was approx. 320,000 at the end of 2006.

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 (namely Slovenians), which in time became a heavily defended fortification. In Slovenian, 'gradec' literally means "small castle". 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 were 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.

Graz was also a city that famous astronomer Johannes Kepler lived in for a short part of his life. There, he worked as a math teacher, but found time to study astronomy. He left Graz to go to Prague when Lutheran people were banned from the city.

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).

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

The old town was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999 due to the harmonical co-existence of typical buildings from different epochs and in different architectural styles. Being situated in a cultural borderland between Central Europe, Italy and the Balkan States, Graz absorbed various influences from the neighbouring regions and thus received its exceptional townscape. Today the old town consists of over 1000 buildings, their age ranging from Gothic to Contemporary.
The most important sights in the old town are:

Schloßberg, hill dominating the old town (475 m high), 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 Landhaus, the building where the federal state parliament of Styria resides, a palace in Lombardic style. It belongs to the most important examples of Renaissance architecture in Austria and was built by the Italian architect Domenico dell'Allio between 1557 and 1565.

The Landeszeughaus, armoury, the largest of its kind in the world ,.

The Schauspielhaus is the principal theatre,.

Dom (cathedral), a rare monument of Gothic architecture. Once, there had been many frescos on the outer walls, today, there are only few remains, 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 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.

Rathaus (Town Hall).

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 totally covered with frescos (painted in 1742 by Johann Mayer).

Kunsthaus (museum of modern art).

Murinsel, an artificial island in the Mur.

Buildings, courtyards (e. g. Early Renaissance courtyard of the Former House of Teutonic Knights in Sporgasse 22) and roofscape of the old town.

Outside the Old Town

Schloß Eggenberg a Baroque palace on the western edge of Graz with State rooms and museum ,,.

Basilika Mariatrost a late Baroque church, on the eastern edge of Graz ,,.

The Herz Jesu Kirche is the largest church in Graz with the 3rd highest spire in Austria, built in Gothic Revival style .

Calvary Hill in the Gösting area of Graz with a 17th century calvary and church.

The LKH-Universitätsklinikum, is the biggest hospital of Graz, it is the largest Art Nouveau building complex in Austria. It was built between 1904 and 1912. It is run by the state.

Best viewpoints for vistas of the city are Ruine Gösting, hilltop castle ruins on northwestern edge of city, and Plabutsch/Fürstenstand, behind Schloss Eggenberg with a hilltop restaurant and viewing tower.

The site of the former brewery Graz_Reininghaus is currently the biggest private owned city development project in Austria.

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 wine growing 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 ,.

Culture

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

Museums
The most important museums in Graz are:

Alte Galerie paintings and sculptures from Romanesque period to the end of the Baroque period, coin museum and regular exhibitions.

Neue Galerie visual arts from the 19th and 20th century.

Natural History Museum exhibition of Botany, Mineralogy and Zoology.

Stadtmuseum Graz city museum.

Grazer Kunsthaus museum of contemporary art.

Camera Austria museum of contemporary photography.

Landeszeughaus medieval armory comprising of 32,000 pieces of armour and weaponry, biggest of it`s kind in the world.

Volkskundemuseum museum of folklore.

Diözesanmuseum museum of the catholic church.

Künstlerhaus museum of contemporary visual arts.

Literaturhaus museum of contemporary German literature.

Museum der Wahrnehmung museum of the senses, samadhi bath.

Kindermuseum Frida&Fred museum for children.

Tramwaymuseum 40 historic trams the oldest dating from 1873.

Kriminalmuseum museum of Criminology.

Luftfahrtmuseum (Graz airport) aviation museum.

Hanns Schell Collection key and lock museum, biggest of it`s kind in the world.

Festivals
Many festivals take place throughout the year such as:

styriarte theatre and music festival.

steirischer herbst contempory art festival.

Jazz-Sommer Graz

Eggenberger Schlosskonzerte classical music concerts in banquet hall of Eggenberg Palace.

AIMSMidsummernightsconcerts, classical music concerts by overseas music students.

Classics in the City classical concerts held in old town court yards.

vokal.total Choirfestival and A Cappella competition.

Diagonale festival of austrian film.

LaStrada street/puppet theater festival.

springfestival electronic music festival.

elevate the Schloßbergfestival.

Festival des Trigitalen Films

Some of these events can be visited for free.

Venues
The most important art/music venues in Graz are:

Stadthalle Graz exhibition center.

Oper Graz opera house.

Schauspielhaus principal theatre.

NextLiberty youth theatre.

Orpheum music / stand up comedy venue.

Grazer Congress - Stephaniensaal classical music venue / ball room.

Helmut-List-Halle music arena.

Grazer Stadtmuseum city museum / art venue.

Dom im Berg contemporary music venue / art venue.

Schloßbergbühne Kasematten music / theatre venue, open air stage and auditorium in remains of underground vaults dating from 1578.

p.p.c. (project pop culture) contemporary music venue.

Explosiv contemporary music venue.

Kulturhaus art venue.

Postgarage contemporary music venue.

Generalmusikdirektion contemporary music venue.

Forum Stadtpark contemporary art venue.

Healthservices

In Graz there are 7 hospitals, 6 private clinics, 44 pharmacies and 2 ambulance services.

LKH-Universitätsklinikum Graz public university hospital with 1.556 beds and 7190 staff

LKH-West public hospital with 280 beds and 500 staff

Landesnervenklinik Sigmund Freud Graz public hospital with 880 beds 1100 staff

Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder 1 public hospital with 225 beds

Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder 2 public hospital with 260 Beds

Krankenhaus der Elisabethinen public hospital with 80 beds

Geriatrisches Krankenhaus public hospital with 304 beds

Privatklinik Kastanienhof

Privatklinik Leech

Privatklinik der Kreuzschwestern

Sanatorium St. Leonhard

Hansa Sanatorium Graz

Privatklinik Graz-Ragnitz

Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund ambulance service

Rotes Kreuz ambulance service

Ärztenotdienst out of hours emergency GP service

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 main train station (Hauptbahnhof) 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 €3.70 respectively, while long-term tickets (e.g. weekly, monthly or yearly) must be bought in the Hauptbahnhof 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 main train station (Hauptbahnhof), you can take regional trains 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, Prague in the Czech Republic, Budapest in Hungary and Zurich in Switzerland. 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 (east of the airport). The non charter flight international destinations from Graz are Berlin, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/Main, London, Munich, Stuttgart, Zurich, Girona/Barcelona (from 8/11/2007) and Oslo.

Sister cities

Coventry, United Kingdom, since 1948 (Agreement, 1957)

Montclair, USA, since 1950

Groningen, Netherlands, since 1965

Darmstadt, Germany, since 1968

Trondheim, Norway, since 1968

Pula, Croatia, since 1972

Trieste, Italy, since 1973

Maribor, Slovenia, since 1987

Pécs, Hungary, since 1989

Dubrovnik, Croatia, since 1994

Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Other forms of cooperation and city friendship similar to the twin city programmes:

Niš, Serbia

Famous people

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former bodybuilding champion, actor and current governor of California. Born and raised in the farming village Thal, 2 km from Graz. In 2005, the Graz football stadium named after Schwarzenegger was renamed Stadion Graz-Liebenau after controversy over the use of the death penalty in California, now it is called UPC-Arena.

Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, architect of the Baroque period.

Robert Stolz, Austrian composer and conductor.

Friedrich St. Florian, Austrian-American architect.

Olga Neuwirth, one of the most important contemporary Austrian composers.

Nicolaus Harnoncourt,born in Berlin raised in Graz, a conductor known throughout the world for his performances of classical works on period instruments.

Jochen Rindt, the first Austrian Formula 1 champion raised in Graz with his grandmother.

Otto Wanz, former professional wrestler who held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.

Wolfgang Bauer, Austrian writer.

Werner Schwab, playwright and visual artist.

Thomas Vanek, professional hockey player, born in Baden bei Wien, raised in Graz.

Helmut Marko, former racing driver

References

Schmitty Smith- Pro Skater

External links

City website

Searchable map of Graz

Graz Tourism Office

KulturServerGraz Town's cultural portal