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Graz is the capital city of Styria, a region
in the southeast corner of Austria. The city of Graz
is located in between rolling hills, to the north, east and
west, only open to the south. The first settlements date back
to 800 AD and through the medieval times, the Styrian landowners,
took over the city and turned it into a flourishing trading
center. Because of its easily fortified and nearly invulnerable
Schlossberg in the heart of the city, Graz has always
been a very important strategic location. Throughout the reign
of the Babenbergers and the Habsburgs, the city was considered
to be the second capital of Austria.
Graz's architecture is dominated largely by the struggle
of the Reformists and the Habsburgs' Counter Reformation.
Protestant buildings like the Landhaus and many different
palaces encounter buildings like the old University, the Mausoleum
and the Minoritenkirche, were erected to represent Graz's
strict Catholic beliefs. The Counter Reformation was very
successful in placing Protestants in the minority, a trend
which remains to the present day.
The most important example of Baroque architecture in Graz
is without doubt the Schloss Eggenberg. A very significant
landmark of the city is the romantic Uhrturm, a tower still
using its original mechanism from 1712 and a traditional location
for locals's first kiss. The fortress on the Schlossberg has
had a big influence on the layout of the city and contains
the largest collection of early modern weaponry and suits
of armour to be found in Europe. In the 19th century Graz
grew to be a large city and many buildings that are representative
of this development e.g. the Karl-Franzens-University, the
City Hall and the opera house were erected.
Today Graz is the second largest city in Austria and
home to around 230.000 people. It offers a great deal of cultural
opportunities, like the Styriade, an annual exhibition, dedicated
to contemporary art, theatre and performance art.
German Language School
in Graz!
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