Graz (Slovenian: Gradec ), is a particularly fine example of a central European urban complex which experienced many centuries of Habsburg rule. It is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe.
The city's name comes from "gradec", a Slavic word meaning “small fort,” which refers to the fortress that once stood on top of the Schlossberg.
Graz was sole Cultural Capital of Europe for 2003.
The old city is a harmonious blend of the architectural styles and artistic movements that have succeeded each other since the Middle Ages, together with cultural influences from the neighbouring regions.
The historic center of the city of Graz reflects artistic and architectural movements originating from the Germanic region, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean, for which it served as a crossroad for centuries. The greatest architects and artists of these different regions expressed themselves forcefully here and thus created brilliant syntheses.
The urban complex forming the historic center of the city of Graz is an exceptional example of a harmonious integration of architectural styles from successive periods. Each age is represented by typical buildings, which are often masterpieces. The urban physiognomy faithfully tells the story of its historic development.
Graz is located in southeastern Austria, and is the capital of the federal state of Styria (Steiermark in German) Province, on the Mur River, bordered on three sides by the Alps. Graz is the second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna.
Steel, railroad equipment, automobiles, chemicals, leather goods, and precision instruments are among the products manufactured in the city, which is the centre of a considerable trade in wine, fruit, and cereal grains.
The old town, on the western bank of the river, is connected with the new town, on the eastern bank, by seven bridges. The old town is built around the Schlossberg Park, which was a strongly fortified hill until 1809, when its fortifications were destroyed by the French. The buildings of Graz include an 11th-century castle, the 13th-century church of the Teutonic Knights, the 15th-century Gothic Cathedral of Saint Aegidius, and a 16th-century parish church with an altarpiece by the Venetian artist Il Tintoretto. Among educational institutions in the city are Graz University (1586), Graz Technical University (1811), and the University of Music and Dramatic Art (1963).
Graz is known to have existed in the 9th century AD and is thought to occupy the site of a Roman town. In the 15th century it was a residence of the Holy Roman emperors. In the 16th century it became one of the important centers of resistance to the Ottoman expansion in central Europe.