14 Best Sights in Carinthia and Graz, Austria

The view from the summit of Graz's midtown mountain takes in the city and much of central Styria. A zigzagging stone staircase, beginning at Schlossbergplatz, leads to the top. It's 260 steps, so you may prefer to use the Schlossbergbahn funicular railway (Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Kai 38; €2.50) or an elevator carved through the rock face (Schlossbergplatz; €1.80). The Schlossberg, a Romanesque castle with Gothic elements turned Renaissance fortress, constitutes only a portion of this site, and is one of the few places not conquered by Napoléon. A few steps east of the funicular station at the top is the Glockenturm (bell tower), an octagonal structure from 1588 containing Styria's largest bell, the 4-ton Liesl, in the upper belfry. Its 101 chimes resound three times daily, at 7 am, noon, and 7 pm. The Open-Air Theater, to the north, is built into the old casements of the castle and has a retractable roof. Both opera and theater performances are presented here in summer. There are ruins of the older structure, and many a modern café here, too.

This 17th-century palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the eastern edge of the city and the largest Baroque palace in Styria, is surrounded by a large park full of peacocks. Enjoy a guided tour of the Prunkräume (state rooms); they are noted for their elaborate stucco decorations and frescoes, and contain one of the few depictions of Osaka before 1615. There's also an arcaded courtyard lined with antlers.

The many attractions here include a traditional art gallery, a collection of coins, and an archaeology museum. The Alte Galerie (old gallery) contains a world-famous collection of art from the Middle Ages through the Baroque period. Among its treasures are works by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Hans and Lucas Cranach, the Admont Madonna wood carving from 1400, and a medieval altarpiece depicting the murder of Thomas à Becket. At the Archaeology Museum, the holdings include a remarkable collection of Styrian archaeological finds, including the small and rather strange Strettweg ritual chariot from the 7th century BC. Stop by the outdoor café for a break, or wander through the park to relax in between visits to the many sights.

The scanty remains of this former imperial palace now house government offices. Most of this uninspired structure is from the 19th and 20th centuries, but two noteworthy vestiges of the original 15th-century stronghold remain: the Burgtor (palace gate), which opens into the sprawling Stadtpark (municipal park), and the unusual 49-step, 26-foot carved stone double-spiral Gothic staircase from 1494 to 1500, in the hexagonal tower at the far end of the first courtyard. While meandering around take note of the Spor, a statue of a seed, which represents the center of Graz.

On the cathedral's south exterior wall is a badly damaged 15th-century fresco called the Gottesplagenbild, which graphically depicts contemporary local torments: the plague, locusts, and the Turks. Step inside to see the outstanding high altar made of colored marble, the choir stalls, and Konrad Laib's Crucifixion from 1457 (considered one of the top late-Gothic panel paintings of German-speaking Europe). The 15th-century reliquaries on either side of the triumphal arch leading to the choir were originally the bridal chests of Paola Gonzaga, daughter of Ludovico II of Mantua. The Baroque Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II, who died in 1637, adjoins the cathedral. Its sumptuous interior is partly a design by native son Fischer von Erlach, and his only work to be seen in Graz. Call ahead to make an appointment to visit the Friedrichskapelle and Konrad Laib.

Every day at 11 am and 3 and 6 pm two mullioned windows open in the mechanical clock high above the square, revealing a life-size wooden couple, the man adorned in lederhosen, a tankard of beer in his upraised fist, accompanied by a dirndl-clad Austrian maiden. An old folk tune plays and they dance on the window ledges before returning to their hidden perch. The musical box was erected in 1905 by the owner of the house. Look into the courtyard at No. 5, which has an impressive 17th-century open staircase. The house at No. 7 has an arcaded Renaissance courtyard. Have a typical Austrian meal right next door at Glöckl Bräu, where they brew their own beer. Every time a new barrel is opened, the bells above ring.

This triangular area was converted from a swampy pastureland to a town square by traveling merchants in 1164; today it's the central meeting spot of Graz. In its center stands the Erzherzog Johann Brunnen (Archduke Johann Fountain), dedicated to the popular 19th-century patron whose enlightened policies did much to develop Graz as a cultural and scientific center. The four female figures represent what were Styria's four main rivers; today only the Mur and the Enns are still within the province. The Luegg House, at the corner of Sporgasse, is noted for its Baroque stucco facade. On the west side of the square are Gothic and Renaissance houses. The spectacular, late-19th-century Rathaus (City Hall) totally dominates the south side. From the Neue-Welt-Gasse and Schmiedgasse you get a superb view of the Hauptplatz.

Across the River Mur from the Altstadt is the modern-art museum nicknamed the "Friendly Alien"—and indeed, it does look like an alien ship landed smack in the middle of the town's medieval orange-tile, gabled roofs. Designed by London-based architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, with the aim of forging an interaction between the traditional landmarks of Graz and the avant-garde, it resembles a gigantic, blue, beached whale with spiky tentacles—which light up at night. Inside, the vast exhibition rooms are linked by escalators and spiraling walkways, with an open arena at the top offering spectacular views. There is no permanent collection here, only temporary exhibits of renowned modern artists. Check out the gift shop on the ground floor.

The oldest public museum in Austria is a vast complex located between Neutorgasse, Kalchberggasse, and Raubergasse. The Joanneum Quarter holds the natural history collections, the Neue Galerie Graz, and the Bruseum, dedicated to Styrian artist Günter Brus. The Natural History Museum showcases exhibitions from all of Joanneum Universal Museum’s natural sciences departments, including botany, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, and zoology. The Neue Galerie’s permanent collection features art from the 19th and 20th centuries.

With 32,000 items on display, the Styrian Armory is the largest preserved arsenal in the world, and one of the biggest attractions in Graz. Built between 1642 and 1644 on behalf of the Styrian nobility, the four-story armory still contains the 16th- and 17th-century weapons intended for use by Styrian mercenaries in fighting off the Turks. Empress Maria Theresa closed the armory in 1749, due to extended periods of peace; however, it remained intact to illustrate the history of the area. The collection includes more than 3,000 suits of armor (some of which are beautifully engraved), thousands of halberds, swords, firearms, cannons, and mortars—some hanging off the ceiling, others projecting off the walls, and still more sitting on the floor. The sheer quantity of displays can be daunting, so thankfully the most unusual items are highlighted, sometimes in striking displays.

The main wing of the Styrian provincial parliament house was built starting in 1557 by Italian Domenico dell'Allio in the Renaissance Lombard style. Through an archway off Herrengasse, visitors can glimpse a magnificently proportioned three-floor courtyard, surrounding a bronze fountain and copper gargoyles dating from the 16th century. The striking Styrian coat of arms, which depicts a white panther on a green background, is painted as a mural on a nearby wall. In the summer you may discover a small market with sausages, beer, and live music; at Advent, it hosts a Nativity scene made of ice.

This 17th-century former city residence of the ruling princes houses the Cultural History Collection. In addition to a Baroque interior, the permanent collection of 35,000 items features items related to the political history of Graz and Styria. Palais Herberstein has a special focus on the "status symbols" that defined the time; and as visitors walk down a red carpet they question the equivalent in the world today.

This was the birthplace in 1863 of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His assassination at Sarajevo in 1914 led directly to the outbreak of World War I. The palace is now home to the Graz Museum, whose exhibits trace the history of Graz and includes an old-time pharmacy.

You can easily see the city parish church spire from Graz's main street. The church itself was built early in the 16th century from a 15th-century chapel, and later received Baroque touches and an 18th-century spire. Tintoretto's Assumption of the Virgin decorates the altar. Badly damaged in World War II, the stained-glass windows were replaced in 1953 by a Salzburg artist, Albert Birkle, who included portrayals of Hitler and Mussolini as malicious spectators at the scourging of Christ (left window behind the high altar, fourth panel from the bottom on the right).

This landmark, dating back to the 16th century, is the symbol of Graz. The clock has four giant faces that might at first confuse you—until you realize that the big hands tell the hour and the small hands the minutes. The clock was designed with only hour hands---smaller minute hands were added later. Nearby, notice a statue of a watchdog—he is said to represent a dog who once saved the daughter of an emperor from being kidnapped by a slighted lover.