Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the population of the Graz

larger urban zone The larger urban zone (LUZ), or functional urban area (FUA), is a measure of the population and expanse of metropolitan and surrounding areas which may or may not be exclusively urban. It consists of a city and its commuting zone outside it. The ...

(LUZ) stood at 652,654, based on principal-residence status. Graz is known as a college and university city, with four colleges and four universities. Combined, the city is home to more than 60,000 students. Its historic centre ('' Altstadt'') is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe. In 1999, the city's historic centre was added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

list of

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

s and in 2010 the designation was expanded to include Eggenberg Palace (german: Schloss Eggenberg) on the western edge of the city. Graz was designated the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003 and became a City of Culinary Delights in 2008.

Etymology

The name of the city, Graz, formerly spelled Gratz, most likely stems from the Slavic ''gradec'', which means "small castle". Some archaeological finds point to the erection of a small castle by Alpine Slavic people, which over time became a heavily defended fortification. In literary Slovene, ''gradec'' still means "small castle", forming a

hypocoristic A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek: (), from (), 'to call by pet names', sometimes also ''hypocoristic'') or pet name is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as '' Izzy'' for ...

derivative of Proto-West-South Slavic *gradьcъ, which descends via

liquid metathesis The Slavic liquid metathesis refers to the phenomenon of metathesis of liquid consonants in the Common Slavic period in the South Slavic and West Slavic area. The closely related corresponding phenomenon of pleophony (also known as polnoglasie o ...

from

Common Slavic Proto-Slavic (abbreviated PSl., PS.; also called Common Slavic or Common Slavonic) is the unattested, reconstructed proto-language of all Slavic languages. It represents Slavic speech approximately from the 2nd millennium B.C. through the 6th ...

*gardьcъ and via the Slavic third palatalisation from

Proto-Slavic Proto-Slavic (abbreviated PSl., PS.; also called Common Slavic or Common Slavonic) is the unattested, reconstructed proto-language of all Slavic languages. It represents Slavic speech approximately from the 2nd millennium B.C. through the 6th ...

*gardiku, originally denoting "small town, settlement". The name thus follows the common South Slavic pattern for naming settlements as '' grad''. The German name 'Graz' first appears in records in 1128. Related to the Czech ''Hradec'' (e.g. Hradec Králové) of the same meaning.

Geography

Graz is situated on both sides of the Mur river in southeast Austria. It is about southwest of Vienna (''Wien''). The nearest larger

urban centre An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, ...

is Maribor (''Marburg'') in Slovenia, which is about to the south. Graz is the state capital and largest city in Styria, a green and heavily forested region on the eastern edge of the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...

. It is located in the Graz Basin and surrounded by mountains and hills to the north, east and west. The city center sits at an elevation of , the highest point is Plabutsch mountain with at the western border. The mountain Schöckl is just a few kilometers to the north and surmounts the city by .

Neighbouring municipalities

These towns and villages border Graz: * to the north:

Gratkorn Gratkorn is a municipality in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria. It is an industrial suburb of Graz. Population References

Cities and towns in Graz-Umgebung District Graz Highlands {{Styria-geo-stub ...

, Stattegg,

Weinitzen Weinitzen is a municipality in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria Styria (german: Steiermark ; Serbo-Croatian and sl, ; hu, Stájerország) is a state (''Bundesland'') in the southeast of Austria. With an area ...

* to the east: Kainbach bei Graz,

Hart bei Graz Hart often refers to: * Hart (deer) Hart may also refer to: Organizations * Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer * Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer * Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores * Hart's Reptile W ...

Raaba Raaba, also known as Raaba bei Graz, was a village, merged into Raaba-Grambach in 2015, in the province of the Austrian state of Styria and a suburb of Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-la ...

* to the south:

Gössendorf Gössendorf is a municipality in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria with 3793 inhabitants (appointed date 31 October 2013 ) Population Geography Geographical area Gössendorf is on the southern border of the regional ...

Feldkirchen bei Graz Feldkirchen bei Graz is a municipality in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria. History It is the site of the mass grave of prisoners interned, tortured and killed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the nearby Thalerhof i ...

, Seiersberg * to the west: Attendorf,

Thal Thal may refer to: Places * Thal, Lower Austria, Austria * Thal, Styria, Austria * Thal, Ruhla, Germany * Thal, Uttarakhand, Didihat district, India * Thal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan ** Thal railway station * Thal, St. Gallen, Switzerla ...

, Judendorf-Straßengel

Districts

Graz is divided into 17 municipal districts ( ''Stadtbezirke''): Stadtbezirke of Graz

History

The oldest settlement on the ground of the modern city of Graz dates back to the Copper Age. However, no historical continuity exists of a settlement before the Middle Ages. During the 12th century, 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 Austria Inner Austria (german: Innerösterreich; sl, Notranja Avstrija; it, Austria Interiore) was a term used from the late 14th to the early 17th century for the Habsburg hereditary lands south of the Semmering Pass, referring to the Imperial duchi ...

n line of the Habsburgs. The royalty lived in the Schlossberg castle and from there ruled Styria, Carinthia, most of today's Slovenia, and parts of Italy ( Carniola,

Gorizia and Gradisca The Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca (german: Gefürstete Grafschaft Görz und Gradisca; it, Principesca Contea di Gorizia e Gradisca; sl, Poknežena grofija Goriška in Gradiščanska), historically sometimes shortened to and spelled " ...

Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...

). 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 representative of this style is the Landhaus, designed by Domenico dell'Allio, and used by the local rulers as a governmental headquarters. The

University of Graz The University of Graz (german: link=no, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, ), located in Graz, Austria, is the largest and oldest university in Styria, as well as the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria. History The univers ...

was founded by Archduke Karl II in 1585, it's the city's oldest university. For most of its existence, it was controlled by the

Catholic church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, and was closed in 1782 by

Joseph II Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...

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-established as a university by Emperor

Franz I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-L ...

, and was named 'Karl-Franzens Universität' or 'Charles-Francis University' in English. More than 30,000 students are currently enrolled at this university. Astronomer Johannes Kepler lived in Graz for a short period. He worked as a math teacher and was a professor of mathematics at the University of Graz, but still found time to study astronomy. He left Graz for

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...

when

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

s were banned from the city.

Ludwig Boltzmann Ludwig Eduard Boltzmann (; 20 February 1844 – 5 September 1906) was an Austrian physicist and philosopher. His greatest achievements were the development of statistical mechanics, and the statistical explanation of the second law of ther ...

was Professor for Mathematical Physics from 1869 to 1890. During that time,

Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla ( ; ,"Tesla"
''

Polytechnic Polytechnic is most commonly used to refer to schools, colleges, or universities that qualify as an institute of technology or vocational university also sometimes called universities of applied sciences. Polytechnic may also refer to: Educatio ...

in 1875. Nobel Laureate

Otto Loewi Otto Loewi (; 3 June 1873 – 25 December 1961) was a German-born pharmacologist and psychobiologist who discovered the role of acetylcholine as an endogenous neurotransmitter. For his discovery he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or M ...

taught at the University of Graz from 1909 until 1938.

Ivo Andrić Ivo Andrić ( sr-Cyrl, Иво Андрић, ; born Ivan Andrić; 9 October 1892 – 13 March 1975) was a Yugoslav novelist, poet and short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961. His writings dealt mainly with life in ...

, the 1961 Nobel Prize for Literature Laureate obtained his doctorate at the University of Graz.

Erwin Schrödinger Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger (, ; ; 12 August 1887 – 4 January 1961), sometimes written as or , was a Nobel Prize-winning Austrian physicist with Irish citizenship who developed a number of fundamental results in quantum theo ...

was briefly chancellor of the University of Graz in 1936. Graz is centrally located within today's '' Bundesland'' (state) of 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 is 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 historically a target of invaders, such as the Hungarians under

Matthias Corvinus Matthias Corvinus, also called Matthias I ( hu, Hunyadi Mátyás, ro, Matia/Matei Corvin, hr, Matija/Matijaš Korvin, sk, Matej Korvín, cz, Matyáš Korvín; ), was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490. After conducting several m ...

in 1481, and the Ottoman Turks in 1529 and 1532. Apart from the

Riegersburg Castle Riegersburg Castle is a medieval castle situated on a dormant volcano above the town of Riegersburg in the Austrian state of Styria. The castle is owned by the Princely Family of Liechtenstein and contains a museum with changing exhibitions. Rieg ...

, 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 late medieval and Renaissance 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 Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria and Maria of Bavaria. His parents were de ...

, who moved the capital to Vienna. New fortifications were built on the Schlossberg at the end of the 16th century.

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's army occupied Graz in 1797. In 1809, the city withstood another assault by the French army. During this attack, the commanding officer in the fortress was ordered to defend it with about 900 men against Napoleon's army of about 3,000. He successfully defended the Schlossberg against eight attacks, but they were forced to give up after the Grande Armée occupied Vienna and the Emperor ordered to surrender. Following the defeat of Austria by Napoleonic forces at the

Battle of Wagram The Battle of Wagram (; 5–6 July 1809) was a military engagement of the Napoleonic Wars that ended in a costly but decisive victory for Emperor Napoleon's French and allied army against the Austrian army under the command of Archduke Charles ...

in 1809, the fortifications were demolished using explosives, as stipulated in the Peace of Schönbrunn of the same year. The belltower (Glockenturm) and the civic clock tower (''Uhrturm''), which is a leading tourist attraction and serves as a symbol for Graz, were spared after the citizens of Graz paid a ransom for their preservation. Archduke Karl II of Inner Austria had 20,000

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

books burned in the square of what is now a mental hospital, and succeeded in returning Styria to the authority of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...

Archduke Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I. F ...

was born in Graz in what is now the Stadtmuseum (city museum). On April 2, 1945, while the heaviest Allied bomb raid of Graz occurred, the Gestapo and Waffen-SS committed a massacre against resistance fighters, Hungarian-Jewish forced laborers, and POWs at the SS barracks at Graz-Wetzelsdorf.

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 2016 there were 33,473 people with secondary residence status in Graz.

Climate

Oceanic climate is the type found in the city, but due to the 0 °C isotherm, the same occurs in a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

with based in Köppen system (Cfb/Dfb borderline).

Wladimir Köppen Wladimir Peter Köppen (; russian: Влади́мир Петро́вич Кёппен, translit=Vladimir Petrovich Kyoppen; 25 September 1846 – 22 June 1940) was a Russian-German geographer, meteorologist, climatologist and botanist. After st ...

himself was in town and conducted studies to see how the climate of the past influenced the Continental Drift theory. Due to its position southeast of the

, Graz is shielded from the prevailing westerly winds that bring weather fronts in from the North Atlantic to northwestern and central Europe. The weather in Graz is thus influenced by the Mediterranean, and it has more hours of sunshine per year than Vienna or Salzburg and also less wind or rain. Graz lies in a basin that is only open to the south, causing the climate to be warmer than would be expected at that latitude. Plants are found in Graz that normally grow much further south. * average temperatures:

Graz Airport Graz Airport , known as ''Flughafen Graz'' in German, is a primary international airport serving southern Austria. It is located near Graz, the second-largest city in Austria, in the municipalities of Feldkirchen and Kalsdorf, south of Graz ...

/ Karl-Franzens University * average rainfall: with on average 92 days of rain (Karl Franzens University) * average hours of sunshine: 1,989 (Karl Franzens University)

Slovenes and Graz

Politically, culturally, scientifically and religiously, Graz was an important centre for all

Slovenes The Slovenes, also known as Slovenians ( sl, Slovenci ), are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Slovenia, and adjacent regions in Italy, Austria and Hungary. Slovenes share a common ancestry, culture, history and speak Slovene as their na ...

, especially from the establishment of the University of Graz in 1586 until the establishment of

University of Ljubljana The University of Ljubljana ( sl, Univerza v Ljubljani, , la, Universitas Labacensis), often referred to as UL, is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. It has approximately 39,000 enrolled students. History Beginnings Although certain ...

in 1919. In 1574, the was published in Graz, and in 1592,

Hieronymus Megiser Hieronymus Megiser (c.1554 in Stuttgart – 1618 or 1619 in Linz, Austria) was a German polymath, linguist and historian. Career From 1571 he studied at the University of Tübingen, and was a favourite student of the humanist and philologist N ...

published in Graz the book '' Dictionarium quatuor linguarum'', the first multilingual dictionary of Slovene. The student associations in Graz were a crucible of the Slovene identity, and the Slovene students in Graz were more nationally aware than some others. This led to fierce anti-Slovene efforts of German-speaking nationalists in Graz before and during World War II. Many Slovenian Styrians study there. Slovenes are among the professors at the Institute for Jazz in Graz. Numerous Slovenes have found employment there, while being formerly unemployed in Slovenia. For the Slovene culture, Graz remains permanently important due to its university and the

Universalmuseum Joanneum The Universalmuseum Joanneum is a multidisciplinary museum with buildings in several locations in the province of Styria, Austria. It has galleries and collections in many subject areas including archaeology, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, b ...

archives containing numerous documents from the Slovenian Styria. A symposium on the relation of Graz and the Slovenes was held in Graz in 2010, at the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the first and oldest chair of Slovene. It was established at the Lyzeum of Graz in July 1811 on the initiative of . A collection of lectures on the topic was published. The Slovenian Post commemorated the anniversary with a stamp.

Main sights

For the year that Graz was Cultural Capital of Europe, new structures were erected. The Graz Museum of Contemporary Art (German: Kunsthaus) was designed by

Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English actor, comedian, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishme ...

and

Colin Fournier Colin Fournier is co-architect with Peter Cook of the Kunsthaus Graz in Austria. Educated at the Architectural Association, Fournier was a founding member of Archigram. He is also professor of The Bartlett School of Architecture, a part of Un ...

and is situated next to the Mur river. The Island in the Mur is a floating platform made of steel. It was designed by American architect

Vito Acconci Vito Acconci (, ; January 24, 1940 – April 27, 2017) was an influential American performance, video and installation artist, whose diverse practice eventually included sculpture, architectural design, and landscape design. His foundational p ...

and contains a café, an open-air theatre and a playground.

Historic city centre

The historic centre was added to the

World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 1999 due to the harmonious co-existence of typical buildings from different epochs and in different architectural styles. 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 historic centre consists of over 1,000 buildings, their age ranging from Gothic to contemporary. The most important sights in the historic centre are: * Town Hall (Rathaus). * The Castle hill (German: Schlossberg), a hill dominating the historic centre ( high), site of a demolished fortress, with views over Graz. * The Clock Tower (Uhrturm) is a symbol of Graz, at the top of the Castle hill. * The New Gallery (Neue Galerie), a museum of art. * The Castle hill funicular (Schlossbergbahn), a funicular railway on the Castle hill's slope. * The seat of Styria's provincial parliament (Landhaus), a palace in Lombardic style. It is one of the most important examples of Renaissance architecture in Austria and was built by Italian architect Domenico dell'Allio between 1557 and 1565. * The

Armoury An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are most ...

(Landeszeughaus) is the largest of its kind in the world. * The Graz Opera House (Opernhaus), the principal venue for opera, ballet, and operetta performances. It is the 2nd largest opera house in Austria. * The Graz Theatre (Schauspielhaus), Graz's principal theatre for productions of plays. * The

Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...

(Dom), a rare monument of Gothic architecture. Once, there were many frescos on the outer walls; today, only a few remain, like the ''Landplagenbild'' ("picture of plagues") painted in 1485, presumably by

Thomas von Villach Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

. 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. * The 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. * The Graz city park, located in the middle of the city centre during the Habsburg monarchy. It was designed by the German architect Johannes Schirgie von Premstätten-Tobelbad. During the Covid-19 pandemic eccentric parties were celebrated which were later dissolved by the police. The responsible, Jonas Fabio Cristo Pinter, an Italian club owner, was arrested and the partying stopped. * The Castle (Burg), with Gothic double staircase, built between 1438 and 1453 by Emperor Frederick III, because the old castle on the Schlossberg hill was too small and uncomfortable. The castle remained the residence of the Inner Austrian Court until 1619. Today, it serves as residence for the Styrian government. * The Painted House (Gemaltes Haus) in Herrengasse 3. It is completely covered with frescos (painted in 1742 by Johann Mayer). * The Museum of Contemporary Art Graz (Kunsthaus) * The Island in the Mur (Murinsel), an artificial island in the Mur river. * Buildings, inner courtyards (e. g. Early Renaissance courtyard of the ''Former House of Teutonic Knights'' in Sporgasse 22) and roofscape of the old town.

Outside the historic city centre

* Eggenberg Palace (Schloss Eggenberg) a baroque palace on the western edge of Graz with State rooms and museum. In 2010 it was added to the existing World Heritage site of the historic centre of Graz. * The

Mariatrost Basilica The Baroque Mariatrost Basilica on top of the Purberg hill in Mariatrost, a district of Graz, is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites of Styria in Austria. The pilgrimage church stands prominently on top of the Purberg hill (469 m) in the ...

(Basilika Mariatrost) a late Baroque church, on the eastern edge of Graz. * The Jesus's Heart Church (Herz-Jesu-Kirche) is the largest church in Graz with the third highest spire in Austria, built in Gothic Revival style by Daniel Schmidbauer (austrian Politician and Doctor). * The Calvary Hill (Kalvarienberg) in the Gösting area of Graz with a 17th-century calvary and church. * The Graz University Hospital is the largest hospital in Graz and one of the largest hospitals in

. It's the largest Jugendstil building complex in Austria and was built between 1904 and 1912. It's run by the province Styria and is one of the most renowned hospitals in Austria and Central Europe. * The Gösting Ruin (Ruine Gösting), a ruin of a hilltop castle on the city's northwestern edge, and Plabutsch/Fürstenstand, behind Eggenberg Palace, with a hilltop restaurant and viewing tower, as well as Buchkogel/Kronprinz-Rudolf-Warte are viewpoints for vistas of the city. * The Schwanzberghotel in Hart bei Graz, a gothic built hotel during the lead of Jonas Draxler his disabled wife.

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 The Lipizzan or Lipizzaner ( hr, Lipicanac, cz, Lipicán, hu, Lipicai, it, Lipizzano, sr, Lipicaner, sl, Lipicanec), is a European breed of riding horse developed in the Habsburg Empire in the sixteenth century. It is of Baroque type, and ...

stud at

Piber The Piber Federal Stud (''Bundesgestüt Piber'') is a stud farm dedicated to the breeding of Lipizzan horses, located at the village of Piber, near the town of Köflach in western Styria, Austria. It was founded in 1798, began breeding Lipizzan ...

where the famous 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. *

, a mighty fortress that was never taken. It was a bastion against Turkish invasions

Politics

Gemeindesrat of Graz elections, 1945-2021

For much of its post-war history Graz was a stronghold of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), but since the late 1990s the party has lost most of its support on a local level. It was overtaken by the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) in 2003, which remained the largest party in the city council (''Gemeinderat'') until 2021. With the decline of the SPÖ, the

Communist Party of Austria The Communist Party of Austria (german: Kommunistische Partei Österreichs, KPÖ) is a communist party in Austria. Established in 1918 as the Communist Party of Republic of German-Austria, German-Austria (KPDÖ), it is one of the world's oldest ...

(KPÖ) has become highly popular in Graz, despite its negligible presence on a national level. The party placed third with 20.8% of votes in the 2003 local election, which has been attributed to the popularity of local leader Ernest Kaltenegger. It fell to 11.2% in 2008, but recovered under new leader Elke Kahr, becoming the second most popular party in Graz with 19.9% in 2012 and 20.3% in 2017. The KPÖ's popularity in Graz allowed them to enter to the Styrian state parliament in the 2005 election, marking their first appearance in a state parliament in 35 years; they have retained their seats in the subsequent 2010, 2015, and 2019 elections. The 2021 municipal election saw a collapse in the ÖVP's popularity, allowing the KPÖ, once again led by

Elke Kahr Elke Kahr (born 2 November 1961) is an Austrian politician of the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) who has served as Mayor of Graz, the second-largest city in Austria, since 2021. She was previously a city councillor in the municipal government ...

, to become the largest party with 29% of votes. She was subsequently elected mayor in November, leading a coalition with the Greens and SPÖ. The most recent city council election was held on 26 September 2021, and the results were as follows: ! colspan=2, Party ! Lead candidate ! Votes ! % ! +/- ! Seats ! +/- ! ! +/- , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,

(KPÖ) , align=left,

, 34,283 , 28.84 , 8.50 , 15 , 5 , 3 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) , align=left, Siegfried Nagl , 30,797 , 25.91 , 11.88 , 13 , 6 , 2 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,

The Greens – The Green Alternative The Greens – The Green Alternative (german: Die Grünen – Die Grüne Alternative, ) is a green political party in Austria. The party was founded in 1986 under the name "Green Alternative" (''Grüne Alternative''), following the merger of the ...

(GRÜNE) , align=left, Judith Schwentner , 20,593 , 17.32 , 6.81 , 9 , 4 , 1 , ±0 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,

Freedom Party of Austria The Freedom Party of Austria (german: Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ) is a right-wing populist and national-conservative political party in Austria. It was led by Norbert Hofer from September 2019 to 1 June 2021.Staff (1 June 2021"Aus ...

(FPÖ) , align=left, Mario Eustacchio , 12,612 , 10.61 , 5.25 , 5 , 3 , 1 , ±0 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) , align=left, Michael Ehmann , 11,325 , 9.53 , 0.52 , 4 , 1 , 0 , ±0 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,

NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum (german: NEOS – Das Neue Österreich und Liberales Forum) is a liberal political party in Austria. It was founded as NEOS – The New Austria in 2012. In 2014, NEOS merged with Liberal Forum and adopt ...

(NEOS) , align=left, Philipp Pointner , 6,447 , 5.42 , 1.48 , 2 , 1 , 0 , ±0 , - , , align=left, Others , align=left, – , 2,825 , 2.37 , – , 0 , ±0 , 0 , ±0 , - ! colspan=3, Invalid votes ! 1,807 ! ! ! ! ! ! , - ! colspan=3, Total ! 120,689 ! 100.00 ! ! 48 ! ±0 ! 7 ! ±0 , - ! colspan=3, Electorate/voter turnout ! 223,512 ! 54.00 ! 3.39 ! ! ! ! , - , colspan=10, Source
Stadt Graz

Culture

During 2003 Graz held the title of " European Capital of Culture" and was one of the

"Cities of Design" in 2011.

Museums

The most important museums in Graz are: *

Schloss Eggenberg Eggenberg Palace (german: link=no, Schloss Eggenberg) in Graz, is the most significant Baroque palace complex in the Austrian province of Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens, as well as some special collec ...

with Alte Galerie (paintings and sculptures from the Romanesque to the end of the Baroque period), Coin Collection,

Lapidarium A lapidarium is a place where stone (Latin: ) monuments and fragments of archaeological interest are exhibited. They can include stone epigraphs; statues; architectural elements such as columns, cornices, and acroterions; bas reliefs, tombston ...

(Roman stonework collection), Archeological Museum (featuring the

Cult Wagon of Strettweg The Strettweg cult wagon, or Strettweg sacrificial wagon, or Strettweg chariot is a bronze cult wagon from ca. 600 BC, which was found as part of a princely grave of the Hallstatt culture in Strettweg near Judenburg, Austria in 1851. Besides ...

) a special exhibitions area and the 90,000 m² romantic landscape gardens. * Museum im Palais: museum of Styrian cultural history from the Middle Ages to the present. * Neue Galerie: visual arts from the 19th and 20th centuries. * Natural History Museum: exhibition of botany, mineralogy and zoology. * Stadtmuseum Graz: city museum. * Kunsthaus: exhibition hall of

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...

. * Forum Stadtpark: museum of contemporary art. * Camera Austria: museum of contemporary photography. *

Landeszeughaus The Styrian Armoury (german: Landeszeughaus), in the Austrian city of Graz, is the world's largest historic armoury and attracts visitors from all over the world. It holds approximately 32,000 pieces of weaponry, tools, suits of armour for battl ...

: medieval

armory Armory or armoury may mean: * An arsenal, a military or civilian location for the storage of arms and ammunition Places *National Guard Armory, in the United States and Canada, a training place for National Guard or other part-time or regular mili ...

comprising 32,000 pieces of armour and weaponry, largest of its kind in the world. * Volkskundemuseum: museum of

folk culture Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging fro ...

and

lore Lore may refer to: * Folklore, acquired knowledge or traditional beliefs * Oral lore or oral tradition, orally conveyed cultural knowledge and traditions Places * Loré, former French commune * Loré (East Timor), a city and subdistrict in La ...

. * Diözesanmuseum: museum of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. * Künstlerhaus: exhibition hall of contemporary visual arts. * Literaturhaus: museum of contemporary German literature. * Museum der Wahrnehmung: museum of the senses,

samadhi ''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...

bath. * Kindermuseum Frida&Fred: museum for children. * Tramway Museum: 40 historic

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

s, the oldest dating from 1873. * Kriminalmuseum: museum of criminology. * Luftfahrtmuseum: (Graz airport) aviation museum. * Hanns Schell Collection: key and lock museum, largest of its kind in the world. * Austrian Sculpture Park: seven hectares of contemporary sculpture. * Botanical Garden of Graz: three architecturally interesting glass houses plus gardens.

Architecture

The Old Town and the adjacent districts are characterized by the historic residential buildings and churches found there. In the outer districts buildings are predominantly of the architectural styles from the second half of the 20th century. In 1965 the ''Grazer Schule'' (School of Graz) was founded. Several buildings around the universities are of this style, for example the green houses by Volker Giencke and the ''RESOWI'' center by Günther Domenig. Before Graz became the European Capital of Culture in 2003, several new projects were realized, such as the ''Stadthalle'', the ''Kindermuseum'' (museum for children), the ''Helmut-List-Halle'', the ''Kunsthaus'' and the ''Murinsel''. * Tallest buildings Graz Herz Jesu 3

Buildings in Graz which are at least 50m tall:

Sports

SK Sturm Graz Sportklub Sturm Graz is an Austrian association football club, based in Graz, Styria, playing in the Austrian Football Bundesliga. The club was founded in 1909. Its colours are black and white. In its history, Sturm Graz has won the Austria ...

is the main football club of the city, with three Austrian championships, 5 Austrian Cup wins and 3 participations in the Champions League (where they were 1st in the first group stage in 2000/01 and therefore got promoted to the round of 16 as the first Austrian club ever).

Grazer AK Grazer AK, founded 18 August 1902 as Grazer Athletiksport Klub (in Austria the abbreviation GAK is more common), is an Austrian sports club, from the city of Graz in the federal state of Styria (''Steiermark''). The football section used to be on ...

also won an Austrian championship, but went into administration in 2007 and was excluded from the professional league system. In ice hockey,

ATSE Graz ATSE Graz is an ice hockey team in Graz, Austria. They play in the Eliteliga, the third level of ice hockey in Austria. History The club was founded in 1947, and won the Austrian Hockey League in 1975 and 1978. The club was merged with UEC Graz in ...

was the Austrian Hockey League champion in 1975 and 1978.

EC Graz EC Graz was an Austrian ice hockey team from Graz, Styria, playing in the Austrian Hockey League and Alpenliga in the 1990s. History The EC Graz (also called "the elephants") emerged in 1990 when the UEC Graz and ATSE Graz were merged. ATSE Graz ...

was runner-up in 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

Graz 99ers The Moser Medical Graz 99ers are an Austrian professional ice hockey team from Graz, Styria. The club was founded in 1999 after the previous club, EHC Graz, folded prior to the 1998–99 season due to financial difficulties. The Graz99ers started ...

has played in the first division since 2000. UBSC Raiffeisen Graz plays in the

Austrian Basketball League The Austrian Basketball Bundesliga (in German: Österreichische Basketball Bundesliga) was the top men's professional basketball league in Austria.O ...

Graz Giants The Graz Giants are an American football team in Graz, Austria founded in 1981. The Giants play in the Austrian Football League at ASKÖ Stadium in the Eggenberg district of Graz. History Inspired by a March 1981 broadcast of the first Austria ...

play in the

Austrian Football League The Austrian Football League (AFL) is the highest level of American football in Austria founded in 1984. The Austrian Football League (AFL) has always been considered among the best and strongest leagues in Europe. The league plays by rules based ...

(American Football). The city bid for the

2002 Winter Olympics The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...

in 1995, but lost the election to

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...

. Nowadays there is a plan to bid for the

2026 Winter Olympics ) , nations = , athletes = , events = 116 in 8 sports , opening = 6 February 2026 , closing = 22 February 2026 , opened_by = , cauldron = , stadium = San Siro Verona Arena , wint ...

with some venues in

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

to cut costs using existing venues around national borders. It's still facing a referendum, meaning usually the end for many former Olympic bids in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

and North America since 1970.

Styriarte

Graz hosts the annual festival of classical music Styriarte, founded in 1985 to tie conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt closer to his hometown. Events have been held at different venues in Graz and in the surrounding region.

Dialect

Referred to as ''Steirisch'' by locals, Graz belongs to the

Austro-Bavarian Bavarian (german: Bairisch , Bavarian: ''Boarisch'') or alternately Austro-Bavarian, is a West Germanic language, part of the Upper German family, together with Alemannic and East Franconian. Bavarian is spoken by approximately 12 million pe ...

region of dialects, more specifically a mix of

Central Bavarian Central Bavarian form a subgroup of Bavarian dialects in large parts of Austria and the German state of Bavaria along the Danube river, on the northern side of the Eastern Alps. They are spoken in the ' Old Bavarian' regions of Upper Bavaria ( ...

in the western part of Styria and

Southern Bavarian Southern Bavarian or South Bavarian, is a cluster of Upper German dialects of the Bavarian group. They are primarily spoken in Tyrol (i.e. the Austrian federal state of Tyrol and the Italian province of South Tyrol), in Carinthia and in the west ...

in the eastern part. The Grazer

ORF ORF or Orf may refer to: * Norfolk International Airport, IATA airport code ORF * Observer Research Foundation, an Indian research institute * One Race Films, a film production company founded by Vin Diesel * Open reading frame, a portion of the ...

, the Graz subsidiary of Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, launched an initiative in 2008 called ''Scho wieda Steirisch g'redt'' in order to highlight the numerous dialects of Graz and Styria in general and to cultivate the pride many Styrians hold for their local culture. Two reasons for a melding of these dialects with Standard German: the influence of television and radio bringing Standard German into the home and the industrialization causing the disappearance of the single farmer since the farming communities are seen as the true keepers of dialect speaking.

Transport

An extensive

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typi ...

network makes Graz an easy city to navigate without a car. The city has a comprehensive bus network, complementing the Graz tram network consisting of eight lines. Four lines pass through the underground tram stop at the central railway station (Hauptbahnhof) and on to the city centre before branching out. Furthermore, there are seven night-time bus routes, although these run only at weekends and on evenings preceding public holidays. The Schlossbergbahn, a

funicular railway A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...

, and the Schlossberg lift, a vertical lift, link the city centre to the Schlossberg. From the central railway station (

Hauptbahnhof Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...

), regional trains link to most of Styria. Direct trains run to most major cities nearby including

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label= Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...

, Innsbruck, Maribor and

Ljubljana Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center. During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the are ...

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Slov ...

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...

and Brno in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

Zürich , neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon , twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco Zürich ...

in Switzerland, as well as

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

, Stuttgart,

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

, and

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...

. Trains for Vienna leave every hour. In recent years many railway stations within the city limits and in the suburbs have been rebuilt or modernised and are now part of the "S-Bahn Graz", a commuter train service connecting the city with its suburban area and towns nearby.

is located about south of the city centre and is accessible by bus, railway
taxitaxianbieter
)and car. Direct destinations include Amsterdam, Berlin,

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian language, Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second- ...

, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Istanbul, Vienna and Zurich. In 2021 a two-line

metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urb ...

system was proposed for Graz, which would make Graz the second Austrian city with a rapid transit system after Vienna.

Health

In Graz there are seven hospitals, several private hospitals and sanatoriums, as well as 44 pharmacies. The ''University Hospital Graz'' (LKH-Universitäts-Klinikum Graz) is located in eastern Graz and has 1,556 beds and 7,190 employees. The ''Regional Hospital Graz II'' (LKH Graz II) has two sites in Graz. The western site (LKH Graz II Standort West) is located in Eggenberg and has 280 beds and about 500 employees, the southern site (LKH Graz II Standort Süd) specializes in neurology and psychiatry and is located in Straßgang with 880 beds and 1,100 employees. The ''AUVA Accident Hospital'' (Unfallkrankenhaus der AUVA) is in Eggenberg and has 180 beds and a total of 444 employees. The Albert Schweitzer Clinic in the western part of the city is a geriatric hospital with 304 beds, the Hospital of St. John of God (Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder) has two sites in Graz, one in Lend with 225 beds and one in Eggenberg with 260 beds. The Hospital of the Order of Saint Elizabeth (Krankenhaus der Elisabethinen) in Gries has 182 beds. There are several private clinics as well: the Privatklinik Kastanienhof, the Privatklinik Leech, the Privatklinik der Kreuzschwestern, the Sanatorium St. Leonhard, the Sanatorium Hansa and the Privatklinik Graz-Ragnitz. EMS in Graz is provided solely by the

Austrian Red Cross The Austrian Red Cross ( German: ''Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz'', ÖRK) is the national Red Cross Organization in Austria and is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It was established on March 14, 1880, by Doctor Adam ...

. Perpetually two emergency doctor's cars (''NEF – Notarzteinsatzfahrzeug''), two NAWs (''Notarztwagen'' – ambulances staffed with a physician in addition to regular personnel) and about 30 RTWs (''Rettungswagen'' – regular ambulances) are on standby. Furthermore, several non-emergency ambulances (''KTW – Krankentransportwagen'') and a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) are operated by the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and ...

to transport non-emergency patients to and between hospitals. In addition to the Red Cross, the Labourers'-Samaritan-Alliance (Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Österreichs), the Austrian organisation of the

Order of Malta Ambulance Corps The Order of Malta Ireland – Ambulance Corps is a voluntary ambulance and first aid organisation operating in Ireland in affiliation with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, founded in 1938. Its purposes include teaching first aid, prov ...

(Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria) and the Green Cross (''Grünes Kreuz'') operate ambulances (''KTW'') for non-emergency patient transport. In addition to the cars, there's also the C12 air ambulance helicopter stationed at Graz airport, staffed with an emergency physician in addition to regular personnel.

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

Graz is twinned with: * Montclair,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, United States, since 1950 *

Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...

, England, United Kingdom, since 1957 * Groningen, Netherlands, since 1964 * Darmstadt, Germany, since 1968 *

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...

, Norway, since 1968Trondheims offisielle nettsted – Vennskapsbyer
* Pula, Croatia, since 1972 *

, Italy, since 1973 *

Timișoara ), City of Roses ( ro, Orașul florilor), City of Parks ( ro, Orașul parcurilor) , image_map = Timisoara jud Timis.svg , map_caption = Location in Timiș County , pushpin_map = Romania#Europe , pushpin_ ...

, Romania, since 1982 * Maribor, Slovenia, since 1987 *

Pécs Pécs ( , ; hr, Pečuh; german: Fünfkirchen, ; also known by other #Name, alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the fifth largest city in Hungary, on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the countr ...

, Hungary, since 1989 *

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterran ...

, Croatia, since 1994 *

, Slovenia, since 2001 *

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

, Russia, since 2001 (On-Hold, since March 2022) ;Other forms of cooperation and city friendship similar to the twin city programmes: *

Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...

, Serbia *

Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is also the ''de facto'' capital of this entity. I ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Notable residents

The following are past and present notable residents of Graz. *

Marie Pachler Marie Pachler (2 October 1794 – 10 April 1855) was an Austrian pianist. She was an admirer of Ludwig van Beethoven, and a friend of Franz Schubert. Biography Marie Pachler was born as Marie Leopold Koschak on 2 October 1794 in Graz Graz (; ...

(1794 – 1855), Austrian pianist *

Anne of Austria Anne of Austria (french: Anne d'Autriche, italic=no, es, Ana María Mauricia, italic=no; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was an infanta of Spain who became Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XIII from their marriage in 1615 un ...

, Queen of Poland and Sweden *

Carl Julius Haidvogel Carl Julius Haidvogel was born to Carl Haidvogel and Juliana on 13 September 1891 in Vienna, Austria. From 1912, Haidvogel worked as a registrar for the municipality of Vienna, was a part-time editor at the public educational institute and observat ...

, writer * Wolfgang Bauer, Austrian writer *

Karl Böhm Karl August Leopold Böhm (28 August 1894 – 14 August 1981) was an Austrian conductor. He was best known for his performances of the music of Mozart, Wagner, and Richard Strauss. Life and career Education Karl Böhm was born in Graz. T ...

, Austrian conductor *

, Austrian physicist, Professor of Mathematical Physics at the

(1869), chair of Experimental Physics at the

(1876–1890) *

Bernd Brückler Bernd Brückler (born August 26, 1981 is an Austrian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL), the Finnish Liiga, and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Playing career Brückler started his h ...

, professional ice hockey player *

Constance of Austria Constance of Austria (german: Konstanza; pl, Konstancja; 24 December 1588 – 10 July 1631) was Queen of Poland as the second wife of King Sigismund III Vasa and the mother of King John II Casimir. Biography Constance was a daughter of Charles ...

, Queen of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

Hans Dobida Hans Dobida (born 13 May 1929) is an Austrian former ice hockey and roller in-line hockey administrator. He was involved with ATSE Graz for almost 40 years, and served as president of the Austrian Ice Hockey Association from 1977 to 1996. He he ...

* Elisabeth Eberl, Olympic

javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the wom ...

er * Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, Archduke of Austria-Este and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne * Olaf Fjord, actor, film director and producer *

Michael Gspurning Michael Gspurning (; born 2 May 1981) is a retired Austrian footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Born in the city of Graz in southeast Austria, Gspurning has been called up to the Austrian national team 3 times, including 2 World Cup qualify ...

, current goalkeeper for FC Schalke 04 II * Gregor Hammerl, President of the

Federal Council of Austria The Federal Council (german: Bundesrat, ) is the upper house of the Austrian Parliament, representing the nine States of Austria at the federal level. As part of a bicameral legislature alongside of the National Council, it can be compared wi ...

Nicolaus Harnoncourt Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt or historically Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt; () (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of musi ...

, born in Berlin and raised in Graz, conductor known for performances of classical works on period instruments *

Victor Franz Hess Victor Franz Hess (; 24 June 188317 December 1964) was an Austrian-American physicist, and Nobel laureate in physics, who discovered cosmic rays. Biography He was born to Vinzenz Hess and Serafine Edle von Grossbauer-Waldstätt, in Waldstein ...

Nobel prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

-winning physicist *

Manfred Hoeberl Manfred Hoeberl (; born 12 May 1964) is an Austrian former strongman and powerlifter who was known as having the largest arms in the world during the early-mid 1990s. Hoeberl was born in the same town as body ...

, powerlifter and strongman *

Hans Hollmann Hans Erich (Eric) Hollmann (4 November 1899 – 19 November 1960) was a German electronic specialist who made several breakthroughs in the development of radar. Hollmann was born in Solingen, Germany. He became interested in radio and even a ...

, theatre director and actor * Johannes Kepler, was a mathematics teacher at a seminary school in Graz * Helmut Kollars, writer and illustrator *

-winning physiologist *

Helmut Marko Helmut Marko (born 27 April 1943) is an Austrian former professional racing driver and current advisor to the Red Bull GmbH Formula One teams, and head of Red Bull's driver development program. Biography Marko was born in Graz, Austria. He was ...

, former racing driver * Marisa Mell (1939–1992), actress born and raised in Graz * Franziska Meissner-Diemer, journalist and writer *

August Meyszner August Edler von Meyszner (3 August 1886 – 24 January 1947) was an Austrian Gendarmerie officer, right-wing politician, and senior ''Ordnungspolizei'' (order police) officer who held the post of Higher SS and Police Leader in the Germ ...

(1886–1947), Austrian SS officer executed for war crimes *

August Musger Professor August Musger (February 10, 1868 – October 30, 1929) was an Austrian priest and physicist who is best remembered for his invention of slow motion. Invention Musger invented the slow motion technique using a mirrored drum as a synchron ...

, inventor of slow motion technique in cinema *

Olga Neuwirth Olga Neuwirth (born 4 August 1968 in Graz) is an Austrian classical composer, visual artist and author. She gained fame mainly through her operas and music theater works, which often deal with topical and decidedly political themes of identity, ...

, contemporary Austrian composer *

Lili Novy Lili Novy née Haumeder (24 December 1885 – 7 March 1958) was a Slovene poet and translator of poetry. She is considered the first Slovene female lyric poet as well as one of the most important Slovene female poets in general. Biography She wa ...

n poet * Emanuel Pogatetz, defender at 1. FC Nürnberg *

Johann Puch Johann Puch ( sl, Janez Puh, 27 June 1862 – 19 July 1914) was a Slovene inventor and mechanic who went on to become the founder of the Austrian Puch automobile plants, then one of the most significant vehicle producers in Europe. Biography Joh ...

n inventor, mechanic and vehicle producer * Adam Rainer, only documented person in history to have been both one of the shortest and one of tallest people. *

Jochen Rindt Jochen is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Jochen Asche, East German luger, competed during the 1960s *Jochen Böhler (born 1969), German historian, specializing in the history of World War II *Jochen Babock (born 1953), East G ...

, first Austrian

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

champion raised in Graz by his grandmother *

Anton Rintelen Anton Rintelen (15 November 1876 in Graz, Austria – 28 January 1946) was an Austrian academic, jurist and politician. Initially associated with the right wing Christian Social Party, he later became involved in a Nazi coup d'état plot. Early ...

, cabinet minister and

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

conspirator *

Eduard Roschmann Eduard Roschmann (25 November 1908 – 8 August 1977) was an Austrian Nazi SS-''Obersturmführer'' and commandant of the Riga Ghetto during 1943. He was responsible for numerous murders and other atrocities. As a result of a fictionalized port ...

(1908–1977), Austrian Nazi SS Riga ghetto commandant * Josef Schleich (born 1949), Austrian farmer * Hermann Schloffer, surgeon *

Andreas Schnider Andreas Schnider (born 3 December 1959) is an Austrian theologian, academic teacher, author, publisher, consultant and politician of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). He was the leader of the party's regional section Steirische Volkspartei in S ...

(born 1959), theologian, academic teacher, author, publisher, consultant and politician of the ÖVP * Gert Schnider, Abalone-champion * Markus Schopp, former football midfielder *

, briefly chancellor of the University of Graz in 1936 * Werner Schwab, playwright and visual artist * Arnold Schwarzenegger, former

bodybuilding Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. It is distinct from similar activities such as powerlifting because it focuses ...

champion, actor and former governor of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. Born and raised in farming village

, from Graz. * Friedrich St. Florian, Austrian-American architect *

Robert Stolz Robert Elisabeth Stolz (25 August 188027 June 1975) was an Austrian songwriter and conductor as well as a composer of operettas and film music.Stanley Sadie Ed. (2002) ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', Oxford University Press Biogra ...

, Austrian composer and conductor *

Thomas Tebbich Thomas Tebbich (born 4 February 1975 in Graz, Styria) is a retired decathlete from Austria. He set his personal best score (8039 points) on 30 May 1999 in Götzis Götzis is a town in the western Austrian state of Vorarlberg. The Alpine Rhine va ...

, decathlete and pole vaulter *

Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla ( ; ,"Tesla"
''

Hertha Töpper Hertha Töpper (; 19 April 1924 – 28 March 2020) was an Austrian contralto in opera and concert, and an academic voice teacher. A member of the Bavarian State Opera, she appeared in leading roles at major international opera houses and festivals ...

, contralto, born in Graz *

Thomas Vanek Thomas Vanek (born 19 January 1984) is an Austrian former professional ice hockey left winger. He played fourteen years in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Detroit R ...

, professional hockey player, born in Baden bei Wien, raised in Graz *

Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg (156818 October 1634) was an Austrian statesman, a son of Seyfried von Eggenberg, Lord of Erbersdorf (1526-1594), and great-grandson of Balthasar Eggenberger (died 1493). He was a prominent member of the House of E ...

, Austrian statesman and early "prime minister" during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...

Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (20 July 1656 – 5 April 1723) was an Austrian architect, sculptor, engraver, and architectural historian whose Baroque architecture profoundly influenced and shaped the tastes of the Habsburg Empire. His inf ...

, architect of the

Baroque period The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

* Ernestine von Kirchsberg, painter *

Leopold von Sacher-Masoch Leopold Ritter von Sacher-Masoch (; 27 January 1836 – 9 March 1895) was an Austrian nobleman, writer and journalist, who gained renown for his romantic stories of Galician life. The term ''masochism'' is derived from his name, invented by h ...

, writer and journalist, studied in Graz; the term masochism is derived from his name * Baron Roman Ungern von Sternberg, prominent figure in the Russian White movement and dictator of

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

in 1921 *

Otto Wanz Otto Wanz (June 13, 1943 – September 14, 2017) was an Austrian professional wrestler and boxer. He made his professional wrestling debut in 1968. He is a one time American Wrestling Association champion and former operator of the Catch Wrestlin ...

, former

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

who held AWA World Heavyweight Championship *

Walter Wolf Walter Wolf (born 5 October 1939) is a Canadian oil-drilling equipment supplier who in the early 1970s made a fortune from the North Sea oil business and decided to join the world of Formula One (F1) motor racing. Life and career Wolf was bo ...

, business person * Oktavia Aigner-Rollett, prominent physician *

Franz Voves Franz Voves (born 28 February 1953 in Graz, Styria, Austria) is an Austrian politician of the SPÖ and a former player in the Austrian ice hockey national team. From 25 October 2005 to 16 June 2015 he has been governor of Styria (Landeshauptman ...

, famous Austrian politician, State governor of Styria for 10 years, Icehockey player