The Schlossberg () is a tree-clad hill and the site of a

fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...

in the centre of the city of

Graz, Austria Graz () is the capital of the Austrian federal state of Styria and the second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 including secondary residence). In 2023, the population of the Gra ...

. The hill, at above sea level, is now a

public park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a city park, municipal park (North America), public park, public open space, or municipal gardens (United Kingdom, UK), is a park or botanical garden in cities, densely populated suburbia and oth ...

and affords extensive views of the city. It is the site of several

entertainment venue Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communicat ...

s, cafés, and restaurants, and is managed by Holding Graz, the city-owned utility company.

History

The fortification of the Schlossberg goes back to at least the 10th century. In the mid-16th century, a long fortress was constructed by architects from the north of Italy. There are records of a cable-hauled lift being in use between 1528 and 1595 to move construction materials for the fortifications. The castle was never conquered, but it was largely demolished by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

ic forces under the

Treaty of Schönbrunn The Treaty of Schönbrunn (; ), sometimes known as the Peace of Schönbrunn or the Treaty of Vienna, was signed between France and Austria at Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna on 14 October 1809. The treaty ended the Fifth Coalition during the N ...

of 1809. The

clock tower Clock towers are a specific type of structure that house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another building ...

(the ''Uhrturm'') and

bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell to ...

(the ''Glockenturm'') were spared after the people of Graz paid a ransom for their preservation. The remains of the castle were turned into a public park by Ludwig von Welden in 1839. The park contains the ''Uhrturm'', the ''Glockenturm'', a

cistern A cistern (; , ; ) is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. To prevent leakage, the interior of the cistern is often lined with hydraulic plaster. Cisterns are disti ...

(the ''Türkenbrunnen'') and two

bastion A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...

s from the old castle. The ''Uhrturm'' is a recognisable icon for the city, and is unusual in that the clock's hands have opposite roles to the common notion, with the larger one marking hours while the smaller is for minutes. The ''Glockenturm'' contains ''Liesl'', the heaviest bell in Graz. Near the ''Uhrturm'' is a café with views over the old town. Additionally, on the western side of the Schlossberg, there are two small cafés, one with table service and another with self-service. Next to the terminus of the funicular railway there is a hilltop restaurant with views of western Graz. In what was once the cellar of one of the ruined bastions is the ''Kasemattenbühne'', an open-air stage for concerts and performances. Below the Schlossberg hill is an extensive system of tunnels, which were created during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

to protect the civilian population of Graz from

aerial bombing An airstrike, air strike, or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, and drones. The official d ...

. Some of these tunnels, including a passage from Schlossbergplatz to Karmeliterplatz, are still accessible, but many are closed to the public.

Location and accessibility

The Schlossberg lies in the center of Graz, northeast of the main square and east of the river Mur. From all four sides, steep paths with a few interconnections (one being a sloped tunnel) lead up to the top plateau. Delivery vehicle traffic is possible from Wickenburggasse (in the north) and Karmeliterplatz (south via Sporgasse) but is restricted to mornings and controlled by barriers and cameras. Cyclists only very seldom ascend, as this is formally forbidden. The Schlossberg

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

('' Schloßbergbahn'') carries passengers from the western foot of the hill up to the restaurant near the top, while a pair of elevators lead up to another restaurant overlooking the clocktower. At ground level, the lift is reached via a short tunnel from Schloßbergplatz on the western side of the hill. Two paths from Wickenburggasse provide access through the tree-covered northern side. Another path provides access from the east, between Paulustor and Landessportzentrum and at the monument for

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (11August 177815October 1852) was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist whose writing is credited with the founding of the German gymnastics (Turner) movement, first realized at Volkspark Hasenheide in Berlin, the origin of modern sports ...

in the ''Stadtpark.''

Entertainment

Each year, the Elevate Festival, a festival for contemporary music, art, and political discourse, is held in various venues in and around the Schlossberg. In the large tunnel connecting the elevator to the Schlossbergplatz, the Fairytale Express Graz can be found. This is a popular grotto railway ride for children. In February 2017, construction on a large indoor slide ''Sclossbergrutsche Graz'' was completed. The slide is constructed out of large tubular metal pieces and winds around the elevator. The slide rises and is long. A ride takes approximately 40 seconds and costs up to €7,80. At the top of the mountain is the '' Kasemattenbühne'', a free-air concert venue. It is one of the most popular venue locations in Graz and has a retractable roof so that it can be used in inclement weather. The venue has a capacity of 1310 people.

References

External links

*
Schlossberg page on Graz Tourism web site

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grazer Schlossberg

Schlossberg Schlossberg or Schloßberg (German for ''Castle Mountain''; usually a hill or mountain with a "castle" on it) may refer to: Places *Schlossberg (Bavaria), a part of the municipality of Stephanskirchen in Bavaria, Germany *Schloßberg (Bopfingen), a ...

Castles in Styria A castle is a type of fortified A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during ...

Landforms of Styria Clock towers Hills of Austria

Graz Highlands