Graz City Centre (Innere Stadt) is a captivating mix of the arts and architecture, natural wonders, retail and dining. From Italianesque masterpieces, castles and a wooded hilltop, to concert halls, galleries and stylish street-side cafés, a visit to Graz City Centre is sure to impress.
Hauptplatz, the city’s main square, marks the center of the Old Town and is framed by ornate buildings such as stately Graz Town Hall. Study the Archduke Johann Fountain and Gustav Troger’s bronze punk statue. Nearby Glockenspielplatz is home to the Glockenspiel carillon. Watch as figurines clad in traditional Austrian clothing pirouette to the chimes of 24 bells.
The lavish Mannerist-style Mausoleum of Ferdinand II dominates the Old Town skyline and houses the body of its eponymous emperor. Visit grandiose religious sights such as 15th-century Graz Cathedral and the Franciscan Church. Don’t miss Grazer Burg castle and its unique double spiral staircase. Landhaus marvels with a Renaissance facade, arcaded courtyard and 30,000-plus piece armory collection.
City history comes to life at the Graz Museum, set inside the 450-year-old Palais Khuenberg. Browse religious treasures at the Diocesan Museum and contemporary art at Kunsthaus Graz. See visual and Styrian arts at the Neue Galerie and geological and zoological exhibits at the Natural History Museum. There’s family-friendly fun at the Frida and Fred Children’s Museum and Museum of Perception.
Wooded Castle Hill looms over the city center and has panoramic views from castle ramparts and the Clock Tower. Get here via footpaths, the glass-roofed Schlossbergbahn funicular and glass Schlossberg Lift. at At Stadtpark Graz, stroll amid colorful flower displays, relax at cafés and feed squirrels.
Book tickets for a show at the Graz National Theatre or Graz Opera House. Chic boutiques and jewelers line Herrengasse, which connects Hauptplatz with Jakomini Square. Find antique shops and independent galleries on Sackstrasse and high-end fashion outlets on Stempfergasse.
The compact streets of Graz City Centre lend themselves to exploring on foot. Take breaks at bakeries, cafés and restaurants to try Styrian beef goulash, wurst sausages and other typical Austrian dishes.
