Bill in Austria - GRAZ

The European Union Council of Ministers has anointed Graz as the "Cultural Capital of Europe" for 2003. It is on the surface an honorary title that basically is foisted upon a city to promote tourism. In this case, the title has worked wonders as far as placing Graz on the tourism map. There are many new buildings and public art installations sprinkled about town that are exciting for locals and visitors alike. To name a few: the Island on the Mur (the talk of the town, by Vito Acconci), the Shadow Clock Tower (Markus Wilfling) atop Schlossberg Hill, the bold red murals (Peter Kogler) inside the Hauptbahnhof, the glass "Elevator to Mary" (Richard Kriesche) adjacent to the Mariensaule (Virgin Mary Column), and the upcoming Kunsthaus (the futuristic art museum by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier). You will see the stylized "2003" in green block letters everywhere.

If you are flying into or out of the Graz airport, be sure to take a little time to step onto the rooftop viewing deck. In this day and age of extra-tight security measures, it is literally a breath of fresh air to stand outside and gaze with a bit of wonder at your plane on the tarmac.

Quick Tips:

Try to pick up "A Short Tale of Graz", a very nice (and free) brochure published by the tourist office. The main branch is centrally located at the Landhaus.

If you are a bit short on time or money, try one of the food stands in the old town. The food is of varying quality and freshness, but you can get something warm like a sausage, schnitzel sandwich or pita sandwiches for a few euros.

Graz has about 250,000 inhabitants. It is an important university city with about 40,000 students, who help to create a lively and youthful nightlife scene.

Best Way To Get Around:

There are trains and buses servicing the 7-mile route between the airport and city center, but the schedules are a bit sporadic.

If you are staying in town, you will probably walk around a lot. Otherwise, hop on one of the handy trams or buses. The Mur River is a popular spot for kayakers to improve their survival techniques, as the surprisingly strong currents bash the boats around the center of town.

I would like to thank Chicago architect Marius Ronnett for some of his sharp images of Graz.

This member of the Best Western hotel chain has a convenient location just south of the central train station. This is desirable if you want to make a fast getaway to your next European destination. It is a short tram ride west of the old town, or a healthy two-kilometer walk. If you are staying more than a day, you may prefer to be a bit closer to the old town, but this is the ideal location if you are doing Graz in a single day. A free parking lot separates the main entry from the train station.

The hotel has six floors with 100 guest rooms. The hotel was built in 1956 and remodeled in 1995. The traditional European interiors are a bit drab and stuffy, but not oppressively so. We were fortunate enough to have a room with a balcony on a high floor facing east towards the old town. Our room with two twin beds was spacious enough, with a steamily hot shower (and bathtub) in the bathroom. Considering the hotel is "only 93 steps" from the train station, the rooms are reasonably quiet. Our balcony has a double glass door to help the soundproofing.

The hotel has two fairly old and slow elevators facing the lobby, which has a few seats and a window ledge with a decent assortment of brochures. The staff at the hotel was cordial and helpful. There is a fitness room and sauna in the basement, but we did not have a chance to check them out.

The breakfast, which was included with our stay, was a sumptuous feast. We ate well on a variety of meats, fresh fruits, sweet rolls, pickled items, cereals, coffee, pitchers of juice, and much more. You can smear your bread in a very European manner with hazelnut or pate-like spreads. The wait staff was earning their keep as they continually replenished the breakfast buffet table in the morning. You can dine indoors in the 60-seat restaurant or on the pleasant outdoor patio.

A moderately large city like Graz would not be complete without a castle on a strategically located hill. Although the Schlossberg Castle (built in 1125 but destroyed by Napoleonic troops in 1809) has been reduced to a few traces, the hill that bears its name is a pleasant city park with many features to draw locals.

One can reach the top of the 400-foot hill by climbing the stone staircase, which was constructed by Russian prisoners during World War II. There is also the Schlossbergbahn, a funicular in operation since 1894 that will take you up the steep hill to the top with much less strain. If you want to go straight up to the Clock Tower, the glass-enclosed Lift im Berg has a rise of 77 meters. Check out the fine views from the lush and terraced Herberstein Gardens.

The Glockenturm (Bell Tower) is one of the few remaining pieces from the old castle days. Built in 1588, it houses the huge 9000-pound "Liesl" bell (dating from 1382) that is clanged 101 times daily. Next to it is an outdoor theater. The Glockenturm is not to be confused with the Glockenspiel, which is in the city center but not on the hill. The Glockenspiel has costumed wooden figures that do their thing at 11am, 3pm and 6pm.

Perhaps a more pronounced element is the Uhrturm (Clock Tower), a clunky but beloved tower built in 1265 and rebuilt in 1569. Note that the long hand is the hour hand while the short hand points out the minutes. This year there is the black Shadow Clock Tower next to it, a bizarre black steel shell mockup designed by Markus Wilfling that literally looks like the silhouette of the original.

The Schlossberg Passage offers a unique stroll into the belly of the hill. A series of tunnels were burrowed into the rock to create bomb shelters for thousands of refugees during World War II. The main tunnel (which connects Karmeliterplatz and Schlossbergplatz) branches off into many side tunnels, which now offer historic or artistic displays (a video screen playing a sensuous commercial for a shoe company comes to mind) rather than sanctuary. The largest side tunnel connects to the Dom im Berg, a large and surprisingly grand underground space that is now a venue for various multimedia exhibitions and events. Reiner Schmid designed the Dom im Berg in 2000.

The old city center of Graz was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. This colorful pedestrian zone is fairly compact, so a quick walkthrough with a guidebook, map, or the tourist office brochure "A Short Tale of Graz" should give most people a satisfying daytrip. If you want to explore a bit further, there are enough points of interest to keep you occupied.

The Hauptplatz is the main square, and many important landmarks are close by. Colorful old buildings have decorative baroque stucco details that make the facades look like marzipan treats. The Rathaus (Town Hall) borders the south edge of the square, and market stalls and busy shops down Herrengasse make the Hauptplatz a bustling hub of activity.

The Landhaus, which is the seat of the provincial Styrian government and the site of the main tourist office, is a distinctive building remodeled by architect Domenico dell'Allio from 1557 to 1565. He is well known as a military architect who had worked on the Schlossberg fortress, but the Landhaus has a pleasant Renaissance style. The impressive arcaded courtyard is worth a peek, as it is the site of summertime concerts. The courtyard has three levels, and it is crowned by a series of obelisk-like finials.

The Zeughaus is the Provisional Arsenal built by Anton Solar from 1642 to 1644. The building also served as a firehouse for many years. This impressive museum has four floors that display the largest collection of arms, armor and weapons in the world. The top level offers views of Schlossberg Hill.

The gothic Cathedral was originally begun in 1438 as a church to the Imperial Court. It was elevated to the status of Graz's Cathedral in 1786. Nearby is the royal Mausoleum, which employed noted architects like Pietro de Pomis and Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.

The metallic bump in the middle of the Mur River is the new drawing card of Graz, the current star of this city's ongoing celebration as the Cultural Capital of Europe for 2003 (perhaps now surpassed in notoriety by the new Kunsthaus designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier). The 900-year history of Graz starts anew with this Island in the Mur, which has appeared in many cutting-edge architecture and design magazines recently.

Vito Acconci designed the slick Island, which is his first major architectural project after years of being regarded as a noted conceptual artist. The steel structure consists of an open-air amphitheater, a cafe, a small playground for kids, and several walkways linking it to the riverside. Its captivating design is like a Rorschach test, as its visitors have labeled it a snail, clam shell, ark, etc.,. The work draws a steady stream of curious admirers, but alas its presence in nature also brings the unwelcome presence of small flying insects.

Stroll through the Island and then walk around it along the nearby bridges and river banks to enjoy it from many different vantage points. In the daytime, the boldly beguiling pavilion contrasts decidedly with the bucolic mountain scenery in the background. At night, the blue-green lighting scheme designed by French artist Laurent Fachard illuminates the Acconci Studio’s Island so that it interacts with its immediate townscape, as the mountains have disappeared into the dusk.

Just south of the Island in the Mur is the Mursteg footbridge, designed by Gunther Domenig and Hermann Eisenkock in 1992. This suspension bridge spans about 170 feet between Mariahilferplatz and Schlossbergplatz and is fit for pedestrians, bicyclists, and sometimes a panhandler. A steel girder supports the bridge, with its western end shooting outward in a distinctive pointy spike. The bridge does tend to vibrate with some foot traffic, so taking a photo from here involves a bit of patience.