Graz is Austria's second largest city. The initial meaning of Graz is "small castle", because the city's most important defense building is the small castle on a hill in the center of the city. Also due to the the wonderful defending position of this castle on the height, Graz was never defeated in military, even if the enemy is Napoleon.
Although Graz is Austria's second largest city, it only has about 0.3 million people, 127 square kilometers area. The city name "Graz" actually comes from the Slovene language "gradec", which means "small castle." Because the city's most important military defense building, is on the top of Schlossberg hill in the center of the city. This castle is located in the commanding heights of the sky, together with the Mur river which surrounds the city, constitute Graz's strong military defense system for one thousand years. Especially in the center of the 16th century, the castle has been renovated and strengthened with 400 meters long fortress wall. Even when facing the attack of Napoleon's army in the early 19th century, Graz was not militarily defeated.
Why do I emphasize that Gras was not "militarily" defeated? Because Graz was eventually occupied by Napoleon. Not by direct military attack, but used a trick. In 1809 Napoleon took over the capital Vienna, then used Vienna and Habsburg empire to threaten Graz to surrender. The major of Graz- Mr. Hackher- had no choice, but only put down the weapons.
After Napoleon occupied city, for the abominate of the city's defense system especially the Schlossberg castle, he ordered to destroy the city wall and castle. Therefore the main part of this thousand years old castle vanished in a blink, and no one can see it again. Only the Bell Tower and the Clock Tower have been preserved, that is because the Graz people had paid French guys huge ransoms, so Napoleon was "mercy." Today everywhere in the city, people can see the Clock Tower as a symbol of Graz.
Why do I emphasize that Gras was not "militarily" defeated? Because Graz was eventually occupied by Napoleon. Not by direct military attack, but used a trick. In 1809 Napoleon took over the capital Vienna, then used Vienna and Habsburg empire to threaten Graz to surrender. The major of Graz- Mr. Hackher- had no choice, but only put down the weapons.
After Napoleon occupied city, for the abominate of the city's defense system especially the Schlossberg castle, he ordered to destroy the city wall and castle. Therefore the main part of this thousand years old castle vanished in a blink, and no one can see it again. Only the Bell Tower and the Clock Tower have been preserved, that is because the Graz people had paid French guys huge ransoms, so Napoleon was "mercy." Today everywhere in the city, people can see the Clock Tower as a symbol of Graz.
⬇️A hill in Graz city, where used to have a castle
Schlossberg hill: garden in the air
Thirty years after the castle was destroyed, Baron Welden changed this former military base into a beautiful garden, which is full of the southern plants. Since then, this Garden in the air becomes one of the favorite leisure places for Graz people. Even if this hill is 473 meters high, has very steep steps, it is not difficult to hike up because the wonderful and rich scenery along the way can easily make you forget about the tiredness.
⬇️ steps on the south of Schlossberg hill
There is a tunnel at the foot of the mountain, which was the bomb shelter during World War II. 6.3 kilometers long, with 20 entrances, and it can accommodate 40,000 people. If you don't want to hike up, there is an elevator in this tunnel which goes to the top of the hill. As the lift was made by glass, it must be a very interesting experience seeing oneself rising up inside a mountain.
But this time we chose to hike up the hill for the scenery. There are different routes with different steepness, sometimes we saw conners with small flower of herb gardens as below image shows.
⬇️ small garden in a corner
The following is one of the two only remaining buildings: Bell Tower. It was built in 1588. There is a five tons heavy bell it, with a very gentle name "Liesl", probably from the early chapel which was called St. Elisabeth (Elizabeth) .
⬇️ Bell Tower
The following one is a outdoor theater for concert or drama. One day before there was a show as the staffs were cleaning up the leaflets on the floor. Guess what was this the building for originally?
⬇️ Outdoor Theater
This building is called Kasematten Stage, "Kasematten" means hidden fort barbettes within the walls. Later it was also used as prisons. But now it was reformatted to sth. very different: a theater.
Probably the first thing comes to Austrians' mind when they saw an open place in buildings or even nature, is that can we use it for music as a theater or concept or dancing hall. Vienna city hall can be a dancing hall, the Hofburg Imperial Palace and Schonbrunn can be used for concert. Any park, any platzs, as far as they are big enough, can be used for music or dance. Mountains and rivers such as the Danube, Lake Constance, can be a perfect scene for regular music or drama festivals. Now even a prison can be changed to a drama hall, my understanding of the Austrians imagination has been improved further. Oh BTW, actually part of the tunnel inside the hill, is also used as a music hall.
Occasionally, we can see the leftover ruins from the castle, and a young man meditating near it. Wonder what he was thinking.
⬇️ castle ruins, and a meditation person
We saw another person in meditation: a lady siting in front of a leftover of the ancient city wall. This ancient city wall was also used as a prison, and later as a fort. There were four cannons, but because Graz hardly faced enemy, their main purpose is not for defense. What is it then? I will mention later. Actually I was quite surprised this side wall survived under Napoleon's bombing order. I think maybe because this side wall is really think: 6 meters, so it is very strong.
⬇️ a wall from the ruins, and a meditation lady
Some people enjoy the meditation, some people enjoy the fun. There is an outdoor restaurant with wonderful bird-eye city view, people can enjoy the food as well as the scenery.
⬇️ outdoor restaurant with bird-eye view
On the way to the top, we can always saw the clock tower. But only until we approached it, I realized how beautiful the top is. The steep steps suddenly became a wide-wide pretty sky-garden, and the symbol of Graz - the clock tower, is right standing in the center of the garden.
⬇️Clock tower in the center of a sky-garden
Influenced by the Austrians, the first thought I had when I saw this garden was, it is a perfect place for dancing, actually even weddings. In the center of the city, there is such a beautiful big garden, Graz people are so luck.
⬇️sky-garden
⬇️ overlooking the sky-Garden and Graz City
The clock tower is 28 meters high, which was first recorded in the 13th century. It has be rebuilt in 1560 when a wooden watchtower was added to the top. There was always someone who watched the city from here. What did they watch? The enemy? No... The enemy didn't come often. The main role of this tower was for the fire-watch and alarm.
When the watching person saw a fire from the tower, he would warn the citizens by shooting the cannons we mentioned previously. The number of the shoots, represents the area where the fire happened. The residents of this area had to help for pulling out the fire. If someone was discovered hiding at the home, he will be punished by spanking.
⬇️ Clock tower: for the fire lookout
Look at the time indication on the clock, my first reaction was that the time was wrong, the clock stopped? With a closer look, I found the time was right, but the needle for hour is actually longer than the minute needle, which cause my confusion to begin with. The clocks on the surfaces were added is 1712, by designer Michael Sylvester Funck. Similar with all the other clocks in Europe, they only have hour needles, no minute needles. And to make the clocks as visible as possible, the hour needle is in the maximum length. When people added the minute needle later, they can only make the minute needle shorter. BTW, the clock in the 20th century into the electronic manipulation.
⬇️ Clock tower: minute needle shorter than hour needle
Clock Tower is not the highest point of the mountain, when we kept hiking upward, we even met a Chinese-style hexagonal pavilion. It was built in 1890, and before that there was a Romanesque terrace with vines. In fact, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the mysterious oriental design is very stylish for European countries. In Schönbrunn palace, Empress Maria Theresia has a few rooms within the oriental styles, mostly Chinese, also some Japanese-style.
⬇️ Chinese-style hexagonal pavilion
There is a lion sculpture at the top of the hill. It is called Hackher Lion, which is to commemorate the Mayor Hackher who leaded less than nine hundred soldiers to defeat three thousand Napoleon's people in 1809. Why do they use a lion rather than a person status? Because nobody knows how Hackher looked like. I am very curious about that how did Napoleon treat Mayor Hackher after he occupied Graz, but I haven't find any information.
⬇️ lion sculpture commemorating mayor Hackher
On the top of the hill, we can also see a secret gate to the castle, which was only found in 1982. According to its description sign, this secret gate connect with somewhere outside the castle from the tunnels in the mountain. This is really smart. Imaging if Napoleon didn't order to damage this castle, but moved in, the Graz people could sneak into Napoleon's bedroom at midnight from this tunnel-connect secret gate.
⬇️ Secret gate leading to outside the castle
In the center of an urban, there is a such pretty mountain for exercise, leisure, enjoying music. Graz people are soooo luck!
⬇️ A person playing accordion, with a fascinated listener
Bird-view of Graz City
Have talked a lot about the mountain itself, it is time to show the bird-view of Graz from the mountain.
The most favorite thing I want to do in a new city, is to hike up, and look down. I like to get a whole view of the structure of the entire city, to get a overall impression.
From the high position, Graz looks a bit like Prague, as they both have lots of red roof old buildings, and they both kept medieval buildings really well. But there is a hidden gem inside Graz.
⬇️Graz with well-kept medieval buildings
In this medieval city, there is an huge alien monster! This is actually a Museum of Art designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier in 2003. Later, when we took the city tour, our tour guide told us that the alien monster will sing a low frequency signal, seven minutes before every hour, which sounds like a talking with space. Later we stood our ears very hard, but unfortunately we never captured it, even when once we were only 1-2 blocks away from it. People may have different sensitivities to the different frequencies sound.
⬇️ Alien monster hidden in medieval looking Graz
After knowing I'm going to Graz, a friend of mine told me that several years ago he actually got an offer of faculty position from Graz University. But he felt the city might be too small for future career, so he didn't take it. When I was visiting Graz, I was asking myself, what if I got that off, what choice I would make. After the tour of Graz, especially the city guild though many beautiful courtyards in the afternoon, I really like this city, cozy, no-pressure. I think if I got the offer, I would have chosen a different answer with my friend.
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