Clock Tower

With the Schlossbergbahn, visitors are taken to the Schlossberg, the local mountain of Graz, in one and a half minutes. An even faster way to reach the clock tower on the Schlossberg is by taking the Schlossberglift. Alternatively, one can climb the Schlossberg on foot - 260 steps lead to the summit, and from the top, there is a beautiful view over Graz.
Our tips for walks:

• Walk "Above the Roofs of the City"
• Walk "Over the Mountains - In the Middle of the City!"

The History of the Graz Clock Tower

A tower at this location on the mountain is mentioned as early as the 13th century. During the reconstruction of the Schlossberg starting in the mid-16th century, the tower received its current appearance.

The hands on the mighty dials often cause confusion. Do the clocks run differently in Graz? No. The fact that there were originally only large visible hands for the hours, and those for the minutes came later, resulted in a mix-up of the hands. The clock mechanism built by Michael Sylvester Funck in 1712 still works today, but has been electrically operated since the mid-20th century.

In case of fires in the city, the fire watch at the clock tower rang the fire bell. It is one of the three remaining bells of the tower (1645). The now oldest bell in Graz, cast in 1382, tolls the hours.

The "Sinners' Bell" (around 1450) was rung during executions. In later times, it reminded night owls of the curfew, which also earned it the nickname "Ragman’s Bell."

Three corners of the tower are adorned with coats of arms that once decorated the fortifications of the Schlossberg:

• The Styrian Panther with the ducal hat of Styria (around 1570)
• The single-headed eagle as the coat of arms of the later Emperor Ferdinand I (1552)
• As well as the double-headed eagle with the initials of Maria Theresa (2nd half of the 18th century).

The mighty Bürgerbastei, on which the clock tower stands, had to be defended by the citizens of Graz during times of war, as its name suggests. Today, it features a splendid garden with flowers, some very southern plants, and numerous benches. A place to linger and enjoy the view of the city and beyond.

History of the "Stone Dog"

Not far from the clock tower, on the way down, stands the "Stone Dog." According to legend, the barking of a dog saved the emperor's daughter Kunigunde from being kidnapped by the Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus, who had unsuccessfully sought her hand in marriage.