Graz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Graz
Statutory city
From top down, left to right: Main Square with City Hall, Typical street in Graz, Clock Tower on Castle Hill (Schlossberg), University of Technology, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Flag Coat of arms
Graz Location in Styria Show map of Styria Graz Location in Austria Show map of Austria
Country	Austria
Federal state	Styria
District	Statutory city
Elevation	353 m (1,158 ft)
Population  (1 January 2024)
• Total	303,270
Demonym(s)	Grazer
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	A-801x, A-802x, A-803x, A-804x, A-805x
Area code	+43 316
Vehicle registration	G
Website	www.graz.at
UNESCO World Heritage Site Official name City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg Criteria Cultural: ii, iv Inscription 1999 (23rd Session) Extensions 2010

Graz is a super cool city in Austria! It's the capital of the federal state of Styria and the second-largest city in the whole country, right after Vienna. Imagine, over 300,000 people call Graz home!

Graz is also known as a big college and university city. It has four colleges and four universities, with more than 60,000 students. That's a lot of young people learning and living there!

The historic center of Graz, called Altstadt, is one of the best-preserved city centers in Central Europe. It's so special that in 1999, UNESCO added it to their list of World Heritage Sites. Later, in 2010, the beautiful Eggenberg Palace was also added. Graz was even named the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003 and a City of Culinary Delights in 2008.

What's in a Name? The History of Graz

The name Graz, which used to be spelled Gratz or Grätz, probably comes from an old Slavic word, gradec, meaning "small castle". Long ago, some Slavic people built a small castle here. Later, Bavarian settlers arrived and mixed with the Slavs. The city's name first appeared in records in 1128.

Exploring Graz: Its Location and Areas

Graz is located in southeast Austria, right on both sides of the Mur River. It's about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of Vienna. The city is the capital of Styria, a very green area with lots of forests, located on the eastern edge of the Alps.

Graz sits in a basin, surrounded by mountains and hills. The city center is about 353 meters (1,158 feet) high. The highest point nearby is Plabutsch mountain, at 754 meters (2,474 feet).

Hilmteich

Nearby Towns and Villages

Graz has many neighbors! Here are some of the towns and villages that border it:

• 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

How Graz is Divided: Its Districts

Graz is split into 17 different areas called municipal districts (Stadtbezirke). Each district has its own unique feel.

A Journey Through Time: The History of Graz

Graz in 1670

Graz in 1830

Neutor in 1883

University of Graz

People have lived in the Graz area since the Copper Age, but the city as we know it started in the Middle Ages. German settlers called it "Bavarian Graz" to tell it apart from another "Slovenian Graz." Soon, the German Graz became the more important one.

In the 12th century, dukes made Graz an important trading center. Later, the powerful Habsburg family took over. In 1281, King Rudolph I gave Graz special rights.

Graz as a Royal City

During the 14th century, Graz became a home for a branch of the Habsburg family. The royals lived in the Schlossberg castle. From there, they ruled over a large area, including Styria, Carinthia, parts of Slovenia, and even parts of Italy.

In the 16th century, Italian architects and artists helped design many of Graz's buildings. The Landhaus, designed by Domenico dell'Allio, is a famous example. It was used as a government building.

Landhaus

Hauptplatz

Learning and Science in Graz

The University of Graz was started in 1585 by Archduke Karl II. It's the oldest university in the city. Famous scientists have lived and worked in Graz.

Johannes Kepler, a famous astronomer, lived in Graz for a short time starting in 1594. He studied astronomy while teaching math. Later, Nikola Tesla, a brilliant inventor, studied electrical engineering at the Polytechnic in 1875.

Graz and Its Defenses

Graz has a key location in the Mur valley, which made it a target for invaders. The city was attacked by the Hungarians in 1481 and the Ottoman Turks in 1529 and 1532. The Schlossberg castle was one of the few places that never fell to the Ottoman Turks.

Graz is also home to the provincial armory. This is the world's largest collection of old weapons and armor, with over 30,000 items! It has been kept safe since 1551.

Napoleon and the Schlossberg

In 1797, Napoleon's army took over Graz. In 1809, the city faced another attack from the French army. The Schlossberg fortress, defended by only about 900 men, bravely held off eight attacks from Napoleon's much larger army. However, they had to surrender when the French took Vienna.

After Austria's defeat, Napoleon ordered the fortress on the Schlossberg to be destroyed. But the people of Graz paid money to save two important parts: the bell tower and the famous clock tower (Uhrturm). The clock tower is now a symbol of Graz and a popular tourist spot!

People of Graz: Population and Diversity

Graz is a growing city. As of January 1, 2024, over 303,000 people live there. Many different nationalities call Graz home, making it a diverse and interesting place.

Largest groups of foreign nationals

Nationality	Population (1 January 2023)
Croatia	11,196
Romania	10,305
Germany	9,226
Bosnia and Herzegovina	7,598
Turkey	5,837
Hungary	4,723
Ukraine	3,429
Syria	3,354
Afghanistan	3,349
Slovenia	3,141
Russia	2,575
Italy	2,553
Kosovo	1,873
Serbia	1,823
Slovakia	1,620

Weather in Graz: A Sunny Climate

Graz has a mild climate, often described as oceanic. Because it's located southeast of the Alps, the mountains protect it from strong westerly winds. This means Graz gets more sunshine than other Austrian cities like Vienna or Salzburg. It also has less wind and rain.

The city sits in a basin that opens to the south, making the climate warmer than you might expect. You can even find plants in Graz that usually grow much further south!

• Average yearly temperature: about 9.4°C (48.9°F)
• Average yearly rainfall: about 818 mm (32.2 inches)
• Average yearly sunshine: about 1,989 hours

Exploring Graz: Top Sights and Attractions

A panoramic view of the historic centre from the Castle Hill (Schlossberg)

Graz was the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003. For this special year, some cool new buildings were built. The Graz Museum of Contemporary Art (called Kunsthaus) looks like a giant blue bubble! The Island in the Mur is a floating platform on the Mur River with a cafe and playground.

Historic City Center: A UNESCO Treasure

The Castle Hill with the Clock Tower

The Castle Hill stairs (Felsensteig)

The historic center of Graz is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it's a very special place that needs to be protected. It has buildings from many different time periods and styles, all living together in harmony. You can see buildings from Gothic times all the way to modern ones.

Here are some of the most important sights in the historic center:

• Town Hall (Rathaus): The main city building.
• The Castle Hill (Schlossberg): A hill that stands over the city center. It used to have a fortress. You can get amazing views of Graz from here!
• The Clock Tower (Uhrturm): This is a symbol of Graz, located at the top of the Castle Hill.
• The New Gallery (Neue Galerie): An art museum.
• The Castle Hill funicular (Schlossbergbahn): A fun train that takes you up the Castle Hill.
• The Landhaus: A beautiful palace built in the Italian Renaissance style. It was designed by Domenico dell'Allio.
• The Armoury (Landeszeughaus): The biggest collection of old weapons and armor in the world!
• The Opera House (Opernhaus): A grand building for opera, ballet, and operetta. It's the second-largest opera house in Austria.
• The Theatre (Schauspielhaus): Graz's main theater for plays.
• The Cathedral (Dom): A rare example of Gothic architecture. Look for the "picture of plagues" painted in 1485, showing locusts, sickness, and Turkish invasions. It even has the oldest painted view of Graz!
• The Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II: A very important building next to the cathedral.
• The City Park (Stadtpark): A lovely park in the middle of the city.
• The Castle (Burg): Built by Emperor Frederick III. It has a cool double-helix staircase! Today, it's where the Styrian government works.
• The Painted House (Gemaltes Haus): A building in Herrengasse 3 completely covered with colorful paintings from 1742.
• The Graz Museum of Contemporary Art (Kunsthaus): A modern art museum.
• The Island in the Mur (Murinsel): An artificial island in the Mur River.

Sights Beyond the City Center

Eggenberg Palace

• Eggenberg Palace (Schloss Eggenberg): A beautiful baroque palace on the western edge of Graz. It has amazing rooms and a museum. In 2010, it became part of the World Heritage site.
• The Mariatrost Basilica (Basilika Mariatrost): A large church on the eastern side of Graz.
• The Jesus's Heart Church (Herz-Jesu-Kirche): The biggest church in Graz, with the third-highest spire in Austria.
• The Calvary Hill (Kalvarienberg): In the Gösting area, with a 17th-century calvary and church.
• The Graz University Hospital: The largest hospital in Graz, known for its beautiful Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) architecture.
• The Gösting Ruin (Ruine Gösting): The remains of an old castle on a hilltop, offering great views.

Fun Places in the Greater Graz Area

• Österreichisches Freilichtmuseum Stübing: An open-air museum with old farmhouses from all over Austria.
• Lurgrotte: The biggest cave system in Austria.
• Lipizzanergestüt Piber: Where the famous Lipizzaner horses are bred.
• The Steirische Weinstraße: A wine-growing region south of Graz, sometimes called "Styrian Tuscany."
• Thermenregion: A spa region east of Graz.
• Riegersburg Castle: A strong fortress that was never captured!

Culture and Arts in Graz

Graz was the "European Capital of Culture" in 2003 and a UNESCO "City of Design" in 2011. It's a city that loves art and creativity!

Museums to Explore

The Graz Museum of Contemporary Art (Kunsthaus)

Tramway Museum

View from the Castle Hill (Schlossberg) with the Museum of Contemporary Art (Kunsthaus) in the center

Graz has many fantastic museums:

• Eggenberg Palace (Schloss Eggenberg): With its Old Gallery (art from Romanesque to Baroque), Coin Collection, and Archaeological Museum.
• Museum in the Palace: Learn about Styrian cultural history.
• New Gallery: See visual arts from the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Natural History Museum: Discover botany, mineralogy, and zoology.
• Graz City Museum (Stadtmuseum Graz)
• Museum of Contemporary Art (Kunsthaus)
• City Park Forum (Forum Stadtpark): More contemporary art.
• Camera Austria: Focuses on modern photography.
• Armoury (Landeszeughaus): The world's largest collection of medieval armor and weapons.
• Folklore Museum (Volkskundemuseum): Learn about local traditions.
• Diocesan Museum (Diözesanmuseum): About the Roman Catholic Church.
• Artists House (Künstlerhaus): A place for contemporary visual arts.
• Literature House (Literaturhaus): About modern German literature.
• Museum of Perception (Museum der Wahrnehmung): Explore your senses!
• Children's Museum Frida & Fred (Kindermuseum Frida & Fred): A museum just for kids!
• Tram Museum: See 40 historic trams, some from 1873!
• Kriminalmuseum: A museum about criminology.
• Aviation Museum (Luftfahrtmuseum): Located at Graz Airport.
• Hanns Schell Collection: The world's largest collection of keys and locks.
• Austrian Sculpture Park: Seven hectares of modern sculptures.
• Botanical Garden of Graz: Beautiful glass houses and gardens.

Architecture: Buildings of Graz

The center of Graz is known for its old residential buildings and churches. In the outer parts of the city, you'll see more modern buildings from the second half of the 20th century.

Before Graz became the European Capital of Culture in 2003, many new projects were completed. These include the Stadthalle (a big space for events), the Children's Museum, the Helmut-List-Halle, the Museum of Contemporary Art (Kunsthaus), and the Island in the Mur (Murinsel).

Tallest Buildings in Graz

Jesus's Heart Church (Herz-Jesu-Kirche)

Here are some of the tallest buildings in Graz:

Sports in Graz

Merkur Arena Graz

Graz is home to several sports teams!

• SK Sturm Graz is the city's main football (soccer) club. They have won the Austrian championship four times!
• Grazer AK also won an Austrian championship.
• In ice hockey, ATSE Graz won the Austrian Hockey League in 1975 and 1978. Graz 99ers also play in the top division.
• UBSC Raiffeisen Graz plays in the Austrian Basketball League.
• The Graz Giants play American Football.

Graz even tried to host the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995!

Styriarte: A Music Festival

Graz hosts an annual festival of classical music called Styriarte. It started in 1985 and brings amazing music to different places in Graz and the surrounding area.

Getting Around Graz: Transport Options

Tram at Jakomini square (Jakominiplatz)

Graz Airport

It's easy to get around Graz without a car! The city has a great public transport system. There's a big bus network and a tram network with six lines. Four tram lines go through the underground station at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) and into the city center. There are also night buses on weekends and holidays.

You can also take the Castle Hill funicular or the Castle Hill lift (Schlossberg lift) to reach the Castle Hill.

Graz Central Railway Station

From the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), you can catch trains to most of Styria and many major cities like Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Maribor (Slovenia), Zagreb (Croatia), and Munich (Germany). Trains to Vienna leave every hour! Many local train stations have been updated and are now part of the Styria S-Bahn, a commuter train service connecting Graz with its suburbs.

Graz Airport is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of the city. You can get there by bus, train, taxi, or car.

Graz and the World: International Connections

Graz has "twin city" relationships with many cities around the world. This means they share culture and ideas!

Graz also has other friendly connections with cities like:

• Niš, Serbia
• Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Famous People from Graz

Many interesting people have lived in Graz!

Images for kids

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  Aerial photograph showing the historic centre of Graz

See also

In Spanish: Graz para niños