Schlossberg

Which city besides Graz can boast having a green, walkable – and wonderful – mountain right in its old town? The Schlossberg. It attracts people: in spring with fresh greenery and the first rays of sunshine; in summer with shady trees and outdoor performances; in autumn with its colorful splendor; and in winter, it offers an escape from the city's grayness. Upon reaching the top, there is much to discover and a fantastic view to enjoy: over the red tiled rooftops, and the hills and mountains surrounding it. Freshly in love couples usually notice less – the place is still considered the number one romantic meeting spot. It is definitely worth looking around: The Graz Clock Tower is a curiosity in itself. The small and large hands are indeed swapped, which has already caused some visitors to compare watches in confusion.

Since 1894, the Schlossbergbahn has brilliantly ascended the approximately 60% incline to the Schlossberg plateau – with modern panoramic gondolas.

A faster way to reach the Schlossberg is by taking the Schlossberglift.
Or one can climb the Schlossberg on foot – 260 steps lead to the summit, and from up there, one enjoys a beautiful view over Graz.

Our tips for walks:

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

It rises 123 meters above the main square of Graz, making it the highest natural point in the city, with a dreamlike view.

Graz Schlossberg: Over the Rooftops of the City

In the city and on the heights – this does not exclude each other in Graz at all. The river, the unique old town, and right in the middle, a mountain. The Graz Schlossberg is a tourist attraction, natural spectacle, local recreation area, and viewpoint at the same time. One can reach the top in no time and enjoy the magnificent view over Graz, the old town, and the surroundings. A small castle that stood here on a cliff over 1,000 years ago gave the city its name. From the Slavic “Gradec” meaning “little castle”, Graz later evolved. From 1544 onwards, it was extended into a powerful Renaissance fortress according to the plans of Domenico dell’Allio. The castle is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the strongest fortress of all time. Even Napoleon could not conquer it at the beginning of the 19th century. Only when he occupied Vienna in 1809 and threatened to destroy the capital did Graz surrender, and nearly all fortifications were demolished – only the bell tower and the clock tower remained, as they were bought free by the citizens of Graz and thus preserved from destruction.

In addition to the landmark of the city of Graz, the Graz Clock Tower, there are numerous historic buildings and sights on the Schlossberg. The Schlossberg is crisscrossed by an extensive network of paths. You can stroll without much effort to the various attractions:

• Worth a visit is the bell tower built in 1588 (34 meters high) with the most famous Graz bell, the “Liesl”. It is unclear whether the name derives from an earlier Elisabeth chapel or from the word “dungeon”. (In the basement vault, there was the most brutal prison of the fortress). The bell weighs nearly 5 tons and could only be moved after two blacksmiths painstakingly constructed a special ringing mechanism.
• Next is the Casemates Stage in the exposed cellar areas of the former castle commandant's house. Do you know what a casemate was? The casemates were once storage rooms that also served as sleeping quarters for prisoners. Today, the Casemates Stage is an atmospheric setting for dazzling opera and concert performances. A small path leads you to the summit plateau and further to the Gothic castle gate.
• The Castle Gate rediscovered in 1982 led from the “Back Bastion” into the medieval castle and was labeled “Back Gate”. Here stood a turret crowned with battlements in the Middle Ages with two arches, of which the outer one is still very well preserved today. In 1894, the plateau was transformed into a viewing terrace. The Gothic gate was uncovered again between 1998 and 2001 and opened to the public.
• The Hackher Lion commemorates the last military defender of the Graz castle – Major Franz Xaver Baron von Hackher, who in 1809 with “a handful of soldiers” held out against the months-long siege by the overwhelming French forces. As there was no likeness of Major Hackher, a lion was erected in his honor. In the middle of the summit plateau is the large cistern. It was built in the 16th century and has a capacity of 900,000 liters. The cistern, the 94 m deep Turkish Fountain , and the powerful Stall Bastion come from Domenico dell' Aglio. He led the group of northern Italian builders who equipped Graz with new city walls and the Schlossberg with a 400 m long fortress in the mid-16th century. No one ever captured this fortress. Not even Napoleon. However, after a victory over the Habsburgs in 1809, he demanded the demolition of the fortress. A generous payment from the citizens of Graz to the French saved the clock tower (28 meters high) and the bell tower from destruction. Thirty years later, Baron von Welden transformed the former fortress hill into the romantically preserved park we see today, with its partly very southern plants.
• In 1575, a Powder Tower was erected at the foot of the Stall Bastion, which was destroyed by the French in 1809. On its ruins, a winegrower's house was built, and wine was planted on the terraces below. It was named after the court actor Gustav Starcke, who lived in the house. Today there is a restaurant here, from whose terraces one can enjoy a beautiful view over Graz - the Starcke House.
• The Chinese Pavilion was built around 1890 and replaced an older romantic wine arbor. The stone bench with weathered inscriptions and Gothic tracery on its back is referred to as the “Bishop's Chair” because, according to legend, here in 1796 the Bishop Count Nádasdy died, who had been released from the dungeons of the Schlossberg after 40 years of imprisonment.
• In 1930, the Herbertstein Garden was made accessible from the “Kriegssteig”, thus revealing “the Hanging Gardens of Graz” to the public. The terraced area with its Mediterranean planting (like fig, lemon, and ginkgo trees as well as wisteria) is one of the finest examples of garden architecture from the interwar period.
• The Cerrini Castle dates back to Carl Baron von Cerrini, an official and mathematician who participated in the defense of the citizen bastion in 1809. As a thank you, he was allowed to build a residence at the southeastern corner of the former fortress in 1820. Today, it is part of the “House of Authors” and is managed by the Cultural Mediation Styria. Here, city writers, scholarship holders, and persecuted artists from all over the world find temporary refuge and workspace.

Everything you need to know about the history on and around the Schlossberg can be learned at the Graz Museum Schlossberg. The cannon hall in the Graz Museum Schlossberg houses four cannons that remind us of the old function of the cannon bastion as the seat of the Graz fire brigade.

Rounding down, the Schlossberg staircase consists of around 260 steps. Or take the glass lift, which ends in the tunnel system of the Schlossberg. During World War II, an extensive tunnel system was built inside the mountain, with 6.3 km in length and 20 entrances, serving as an air raid shelter for up to 40,000 people. These tunnels are still partially in use today; for example, as a footpath across the mountain from Schlossbergplatz to Karmeliterplatz, or as access to the “Glass Lift” in the mountain and to the “Cathedral in the Mountain,” an underground event hall. The Graz Fairy Tale Train in the Schlossberg also utilizes a part of the old tunnel system – a ride in the mountain is a welcome change for children.

Tip: The “Schlossberg Slide” is the highest underground slide in the world at 64 meters. For 175 meters, visitors can take a speedy route from the Schlossberg into the Schlossberg tunnel. Right next to the Schlossberglift, it descends at speeds of up to 25 km/h through changing curves. With specially made sliding mats, the Graz Schlossberg Slide provides more than 40 seconds of particularly fun experience for young and old alike.

Do you already know the legend of the origin of the Graz Schlossberg?

The legend attributes the creation of the Schlossberg to the devil. He promised the Grazers to make their local mountain, the Schöckl, even higher. Of course, in exchange for the soul of the first person to climb the elevated Schöckl. As he was flying over Graz from Africa with a huge boulder, he saw a procession below. It was Easter Sunday. On that day, the devil had no power over the people. Thus, he could not acquire any of their souls for himself. In his anger, the devil hurled the boulder at the city. It broke into two pieces. The smaller one today forms the Austein, where the Graz Calvary Hill stands. The larger piece became the Schlossberg.

Do not miss the visit to the Schlossberg during your stay in Graz.