Graz

Graz is the capital of the Bundesland Steiermark and has nearly 300.000 inhabitants, quite bigger than I took into account when parking for the maximum of only three hours which turned out way too less. Especially, when you are hungry to rephotograph a bunch of photos from Kurt Hielscher, one needs more time. I managed to only rephotograph some, so now I am looking forward to visit Graz again, which would be worth it anyway. Graz has a pleasant atmosphere and I only saw a part of it.

Uhrturm, 1928 vs. the 30st of July 2024. Photos: Kurt Hielscher & Casper Molenaar.

The core of the Graz clock tower probably dates back to the 13th century, first mentioned in 1265, making it one of the oldest buildings on the Schloßberg. Its current shape as part of a renovation was completed in 1569 with the installation of the first clock with three large dials. Above the dials, a wooden battlement leads around the tower, from which the fire watchers could see the entire city center. In 1712 he got another dial on the north side, as well as a new clockwork created by Michael Sylvester Funck. The new clock was accurate enough to be able to show minutes, but the hour hand is larger than the minute hand because it was more important to be able to read the hours correctly from a distance than minutes.

View on Graz with the Mariahilferkirche catching the eye and the Murinsel, a modern amphitheatre with a café and playground, in front of it. Kurt Hielscher also published a photo from the Schlossberg.

One can see the "Friendly Alien" on the right, well, on today's photo. It is the museum of modern art, The Kunsthaus, is only there since 2003 when Graz was the European City of Culture. More to the front, the eyecatcher is the Kastner and Öhler kaufhaus, a really huge department store and the first one within Austria-Hungary in 1894. After the "Anschluss" in 1938, Franz Öhler, Richard Kastner and Albert Kastner, the owners at the time, gave the company to their sons-in-law to prevent expropriation by the Nazi regime. They fled to Croatia, but Franz Öhler was arrested and died in the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. In 1945, the department store was partly destroyed in a bomb attack. Over the years it has been renovated several times, almost with the consequence of Graz losing its status as UNESCO World Heritage due to the restoration works in 2010 when old vaults, dating from 1629, had been demolished without any agreement with the monument conservation authority. The Design Award from the American Trade Representative Association for Retail Environments was won, however. Though promised, the optical adjustment of the roof construction promised for the renovation has not been carried out to this day. Without knowing all this we enjoyed the view on the city that we just explored, a lot. Then we just focused on these eyecatchers like the one on both photos and more to the left at the Mur river: the Franziskanerkirche.

On the Schlossberg.

View on the Hauptplatz with the Erzherzog-Johann-Brunnen and impressive Rathaus, the City Town Hall.

Close-up of the Rathaus to which I did not get approval to go to the upper floors to rephotograph another photo from Kurt Hielscher. 

Here also a series of the Grazer Landhaus, a quiet and stunning building with very nice views from its quadrangle. The fountain dates back to 1590 AD, but the Renaissance style building to 1557. It still is the provincial parliament of Steiermarken.

Kurt Hielscher made a photo of the Brunnen within the courtyard of the Landhaus. Today the plastering is restored. It seems that the flag on top has changed, except when you look at the shadow. Then it could be the same one. Both photos also show how hard it is to exactly rephotograph a photo. I am sure I was very close, yet so far away. Here it could be the difference between the left and the right eye only, therefore also the lens. 

The Landhaus seen from the courtyard: very impressive with all its arcades.

When our parket ticket ended after the maximum parking durance of four hours that passed by too quickly, we went to the 17th century Kalvarienberg where we took some more time in a relaxed atmosphere. I expected it to be a little more isolated from the urban area of the city. Th eAustein, a rocky hill of 28 meters height is situated in a neighborhood next to the Mur river. Maybe it was in the middle of nature a century ago when Kurt Hielscher made his photo? The comparison doesn't make that clear. Two hundred steps bring you to the top with the Kreuzigungsgruppe, referring to Golgotha in Jerusalem. On your way you will walk into eleven chapels. Previously, the Kalvarienberg and its church were a busy pilgrimage site but today, one can still relax and unwind here with a beautiful view on Graz and its surroundings.

From the other side.

Soon more from the Kalvarienbergkirche.

Below: View on Graz.