Graz

For other uses, see Graz (disambiguation).

City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg

UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Grazer Schloßberg Clock Tower
Criteria	Cultural: ii, iv
Reference	931bis
Inscription	1999 (23rd Session)
Extensions	2010

Graz (German pronunciation: [ˈɡʁaːt͡s]) is the capital of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. On 1 January 2017, it had a population of 320,587 (of which 286,686 had principal residence status). In 2014, the population of the Graz Larger Urban Zone who had principal residence status stood at 605,143.

Graz has a long tradition as a "university town": its six universities have more than 44,000 students. Its "Old Town" is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe.

Politically and culturally, Graz was for centuries more important for Slovenes than Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, and still remains influential.

In 1999, Graz was added to the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage Sites, and the site was extended in 2010 by Schloss Eggenberg. Graz was sole Cultural Capital of Europe for 2003 and got the title of a City of Culinary Delights in 2008.

Etymology

The name of the city, Graz, formerly spelled Gratz, stems most likely from the Slavic gradec, "small castle". Some archaeological finds point to the erection of a small castle by Alpine Slavic people, which in time became a heavily defended fortification. In literary Slovene, gradec still means "small castle", forming a hypocoristic derivative of Proto-West-South Slavic *gradьcъ, whichs descends via liquid metathesis from Common Slavic *gardьcъ and via the Slavic third palatalisation from Proto-Slavic *gardiku (cf. the Ancient Greek toponym Γαρδίκι), originally denoting "small town, settlement". The name thus follows the common South Slavic pattern for naming settlements as grad. The German name 'Graz' first appears in records in 1128.

Geography

Aerial photography showing the historic city center of Graz

Graz is situated on the Mur River in the southeast of Austria. It is about 200 km (120 mi) southwest of Vienna. The nearest larger urban center is Maribor in Slovenia which is about 50 km (31 mi) away. Graz is the capital and largest city in Styria, a green and heavily forested area.

Neighbouring municipalities

These towns and villages border Graz:

• to the north: Gratkorn, Stattegg, Weinitzen
• to the east: Kainbach bei Graz, Hart bei Graz, Raaba
• to the south: Gössendorf, Feldkirchen bei Graz, Seiersberg
• to the west: Attendorf, Thal, Judendorf-Straßengel

Districts

The city of Graz is divided into 17 districts:

I. Innere Stadt (3,302) II. St. Leonhard (12,377) III. Geidorf (19,119) IV. Lend (22,369) V. Gries (22,658) VI. Jakomini (25,808) VII. Liebenau (11,556) VIII. St. Peter (12,809) IX. Waltendorf (10,782)

X. Ries (5,789) XI. Mariatrost (7,403) XII. Andritz (16,316) XIII. Gösting (11,489) XIV. Eggenberg (16,467) XV. Wetzelsdorf (12,225) XVI. Straßgang (12,212) XVII. Puntigam (6,248)

The 17 districts of Graz

History

See also: Timeline of Graz

Graz, Georg Matthäus Vischer (1670)

Graz,1830 – Lith. J.F. Kaiser

The oldest settlement on the ground of the modern city of Graz dates back to the Copper Age. However, no historical continuity exists of a settlement before the Middle Ages.

During the 12th century, dukes under Babenberg rule made the town into an important commercial center. Later, Graz came under the rule of the Habsburgs, and in 1281, gained special privileges from King Rudolph I.

In the 14th century, Graz became the city of residence of the Inner Austrian line of the Habsburgs. The royalty lived in the Schloßberg castle and from there ruled Styria, Carinthia, most of today's Slovenia, and parts of Italy (Carniola, Gorizia and Gradisca, Trieste).

In the 16th century, the city's design and planning were primarily controlled by Italian Renaissance architects and artists. One of the most famous buildings built in this style is the Landhaus, designed by Domenico dell'Allio, and used by the local rulers as a governmental headquarters.

Neutor in 1883

University of Graz

Landhaus

Hauptplatz

Karl-Franzens-Universität, also called the University of Graz, is the city's oldest university, founded in 1585 by Archduke Karl II. For most of its existence, it was controlled by the Catholic church, and was closed in 1782 by Joseph II in an attempt to gain state control over educational institutions. Joseph II transformed it into a lyceum where civil servants and medical personnel were trained. In 1827 it was re-instituted as a university by Emperor Franz I, thus gaining the name 'Karl-Franzens Universität,' meaning 'Charles-Francis University.' Over 30,000 students currently study at this university.

The astronomer Johannes Kepler lived in Graz for a short period. There, he worked as a math teacher and was a professor of mathematics at the University of Graz, but still found time to study astronomy. He left Graz to go to Prague when Lutherans were banned from the city.

Ludwig Boltzmann was Professor for Mathematical Physics from 1869 to 1890. During that time, Nikola Tesla studied electrical engineering at the Polytechnic in 1875. Nobel Laureate Otto Loewi taught at the University of Graz from 1909 until 1938. Ivo Andric, the 1961 Nobel Prize for Literature Laureate obtained his doctorate at the University of Graz. Erwin Schrödinger was briefly chancellor of the University of Graz in 1936.

Graz lies in Styria, or Steiermark in German. Mark is an old German word indicating a large area of land used as a defensive border, in which the peasantry is taught how to organize and fight in the case of an invasion. With a strategic location at the head of the open and fertile Mur valley, Graz was often assaulted (unsuccessfully), e.g. by the Hungarians under Matthias Corvinus in 1481, and by the Ottoman Turks in 1529 and 1532. Apart from the Riegersburg, the Schloßberg was the only fortification in the region that never fell to the Ottoman Turks. Graz is home to the region's provincial armory, which is the world's largest historical collection of Baroque weaponry. It has been preserved since 1551, and displays over 30,000 items.

From the earlier part of the 15th century, Graz was the residence of the younger branch of the Habsburgs, which succeeded to the imperial throne in 1619 in the person of Emperor Ferdinand II, who moved the capital to Vienna. New fortifications were built on the Schloßberg at the end of the 16th century. Napoleon's army occupied Graz in 1797. In 1809, the city withstood another assault by the French army. During this attack, the commanding officer in the fortress was ordered to defend it with about 900 men against Napoleon's army of about 3,000. He successfully defended the Schloßberg against eight attacks, but they were forced to give up after the Grande Armée occupied Vienna and the Emperor ordered to surrender. Following the defeat of Austria by Napoleonic forces at the Battle of Wagram in 1809, the fortifications were demolished using explosives, as stipulated in the Peace of Schönbrunn of the same year. The belltower and the civic clock tower, often used as the symbol of Graz, were spared after the people of Graz paid a ransom for their preservation.

Archduke Karl II of Inner Austria had 20,000 Protestant books burned in the square of what is now a mental hospital, and succeeded in returning Styria to the authority of the Holy See. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was born in Graz, in what is now the Stadtmuseum (city museum).

Population development

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1900	168,808	—
1951	226,476	+34.2%
1961	237,080	+4.7%
1971	249,089	+5.1%
1981	243,166	−2.4%
1991	237,810	−2.2%
2001	226,244	−4.9%
2006	250,099	+10.5%
2008	252,852	+1.1%
2014	269,997	+6.8%
2015	274,207	+1.6%
2016	280,200	+2.2%

The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students. At the end of 2006 there were 37,624 people with secondary residence status in Graz.

The population (with principal residence status) in the agglomeration was about 320,000 at the end of 2016.

Largest groups of foreign residents
Nationality	Population (2017)
Romania	8,093
Germany	7,761
Croatia	7,119
Bosnia and Herzegovina	6,790
Turkey	5,247
Hungary	4,020
Slovenia	2,849
Afghanistan	2,110
Italy	2,087
Russia	2,061
Slovakia	1,985
Kosovo	1,705
Serbia	1,641
Syria	1,316
Nigeria	1,028
Poland	962
Bulgaria	924

Climate

Due to its position southeast of the Alps, Graz is shielded from the prevailing westerly winds that bring weather fronts in from the North Atlantic to northwestern and central Europe. The weather in Graz is thus influenced by the Mediterranean, and it has more hours of sunshine per year than Vienna or Salzburg and also less wind or rain. Graz lies in a basin that is only open to the south, causing the climate to be warmer than would be expected at that latitude. Plants are found in Graz that normally grow much further south. However, this milder, less windy climate is detrimental to the air quality in Graz as it makes the city prone to smog in winter. The exhaust fumes of the around 120,000 cars driven into Graz every weekday by people living in the surrounding areas, together with the car journeys made by the inhabitants of Graz itself, are the most significant source of air pollution.

• average temperatures: Graz Airport 8.7 °C (48 °F) / Karl-Franzens University 9.4 °C (49 °F)
• average rainfall: 818 mm (32 in) with on average 92 days of rain (Karl Franzens University)
• average hours of sunshine: 1,989 (Karl Franzens University)

Climate data for Graz (1971–2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	21.0 (69.8)	20.5 (68.9)	25.1 (77.2)	28.8 (83.8)	34.1 (93.4)	34.3 (93.7)	38.1 (100.6)	38.1 (100.6)	32.0 (89.6)	26.4 (79.5)	23.0 (73.4)	19.2 (66.6)	35.5 (95.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	2.8 (37.0)	5.8 (42.4)	10.7 (51.3)	15.3 (59.5)	20.5 (68.9)	23.4 (74.1)	25.3 (77.5)	24.7 (76.5)	20.4 (68.7)	14.6 (58.3)	7.7 (45.9)	3.6 (38.5)	14.6 (58.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−1.0 (30.2)	1.0 (33.8)	5.1 (41.2)	9.6 (49.3)	14.6 (58.3)	17.7 (63.9)	19.5 (67.1)	18.9 (66.0)	14.7 (58.5)	9.4 (48.9)	3.7 (38.7)	0.1 (32.2)	9.4 (48.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−3.8 (25.2)	−2.9 (26.8)	1.0 (33.8)	4.9 (40.8)	9.5 (49.1)	12.7 (54.9)	14.7 (58.5)	14.3 (57.7)	10.6 (51.1)	5.9 (42.6)	0.9 (33.6)	−2.3 (27.9)	5.5 (41.9)
Record low °C (°F)	−20.2 (−4.4)	−19.3 (−2.7)	−17.2 (1.0)	−5.5 (22.1)	−1.3 (29.7)	3.6 (38.5)	6.3 (43.3)	4.9 (40.8)	0.8 (33.4)	−6.4 (20.5)	−12.7 (9.1)	−17.5 (0.5)	−19.3 (−2.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	23.9 (0.94)	30.4 (1.20)	44.1 (1.74)	49.0 (1.93)	86.0 (3.39)	117.8 (4.64)	125.1 (4.93)	113.0 (4.45)	81.1 (3.19)	61.7 (2.43)	51.9 (2.04)	34.9 (1.37)	818.9 (32.25)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	12.8 (5.0)	15.6 (6.1)	6.5 (2.6)	2.3 (0.9)	0.1 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.2 (0.1)	9.1 (3.6)	15.5 (6.1)	62.1 (24.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	4.8	4.8	6.6	7.9	10.6	11.5	10.7	9.7	7.5	6.3	6.5	5.2	92.1
Average snowy days (≥ 1.0 cm)	15.6	10.0	4.1	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.8	9.1	42.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours	90.4	117.8	145.7	166.4	210.0	213.0	234.4	226.9	174.0	139.6	93.0	78.8	1,890
Source: Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics

Slovenes and Graz

Politically, culturally, scientifically and religiously, Graz was an important centre for all Slovenes, especially from the establishment of the University of Graz in 1586 until the establishment of University of Ljubljana in 1919. In 1574, the first Slovene Catholic book was published in Graz, and in 1592, Hieronymus Megiser published in Graz the book Dictionarium quatuor linguarum, the first multilingual dictionary of Slovene.

The Styrian Slovenes did not consider Graz a German city, but their own, a place to study while living at their relatives' homes and to fulfill one's career ambitions. The student associations in Graz were a crucible of the Slovene identity and the Slovene students in Graz were more nationally aware than some others. This led to fierce anti-Slovene efforts of German nationalists in Graz before and during World War II.

Many Slovenian Styrians study there. Slovenes are among the professors at the Institute for Jazz in Graz. Numerous Slovenes have found employment there, while being formally unemployed in Slovenia. For the Slovene culture, Graz remains permanently important due to its university and the Universalmuseum Joanneum archives containing numerous documents from the Slovenian Styria.

A symposium on the relation of Graz and the Slovenes was held in Graz in 2010, at the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the first and oldest chair of Slovene. It was established at the Lyzeum of Graz in July 1811 on the initiative of Janez Nepomuk Primic. A collection of lectures on the topic was published. The Slovenian Post commemorated the anniversary with a stamp.

Main sights

A panoramic view of the old town from the Grazer Schloßberg

For Graz's stint as Cultural Capital of Europe some strikingly modern new public buildings were erected in the city. The most famous is the Kunsthaus (house of modern art) designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, a museum constructed right next to the river Mur, and the "Murinsel" (island in the Mur), an island made of steel, situated in the river. It was designed by the American architect Vito Acconci and contains a café, an open-air theatre and a playground.

Old town

Main article: Innere Stadt (Graz)

Grazer Schloßberg (Castle mountain) with clock tower

The old town was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999 due to the harmonious co-existence of typical buildings from different epochs and in different architectural styles. Situated in a cultural borderland between Central Europe, Italy and the Balkan States, Graz absorbed various influences from the neighbouring regions and thus received its exceptional townscape. Today the old town consists of over 1000 buildings, their age ranging from Gothic to Contemporary.

The most important sights in the old town are:

• Rathaus (Town Hall).
• Schloßberg, hill dominating the old town (475 m (1,558.40 ft) high), site of demolished fortress, with views over Graz.
• Uhrturm clocktower, symbol of Graz, on the top of Schloßberg.
• Neue Galerie. Museum of art.
• Schloßbergbahn, a funicular railway up the Schloßberg.
• The Landhaus, the building where the federal state parliament of Styria resides, a palace in Lombardic style. It is one of the most important examples of Renaissance architecture in Austria and was built by the Italian architect Domenico dell'Allio between 1557 and 1565.
• The Landeszeughaus, armoury, the largest of its kind in the world.
• The Opernhaus, the principal venue for opera, ballet, and operetta performances. It is the 2nd largest opera house in Austria.
• The Schauspielhaus, the principal theatre for productions of plays.
• Dom (cathedral), a rare monument of Gothic architecture. Once, there were many frescos on the outer walls; today, only a few remain, like the Landplagenbild ("picture of plagues") painted in 1485, presumably by Thomas von Villach. The three plagues it depicts are locusts, pestilence and the invasion of the Turks, all of them striking the town in 1480. It features the oldest painted view of Graz.
• Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II next to the cathedral, the most important building of Mannerism in Graz. It includes both the grave where Ferdinand II and his wife are buried, and a church dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria.
• Burg (castle complex), with Gothic double staircase, built between 1438 and 1453 by Emperor Frederick III because the old castle on the Schloßberg was too small and uncomfortable. The Burg remained the residence of the Inner Austrian Court until 1619. Today, it serves as residence of the government of Styria.
• Gemaltes Haus ("painted house"), in Herrengasse 3. It is completely covered with frescos (painted in 1742 by Johann Mayer).
• Kunsthaus (museum of modern art).
• Murinsel, an artificial island in the Mur.
• Buildings, courtyards (e. g. Early Renaissance courtyard of the Former House of Teutonic Knights in Sporgasse 22) and roofscape of the old town.

Outside the Old Town

Schloss Eggenberg

• Schloss Eggenberg a Baroque palace on the western edge of Graz with State rooms and museum. In 2010 it was added to the existing World Heritage site of the historic centre of Graz.
• Basilika Mariatrost a late Baroque church, on the eastern edge of Graz.
• The Herz Jesu Kirche is the largest church in Graz with the third highest spire in Austria, built in Gothic Revival style.
• Calvary Hill in the Gösting area of Graz with a 17th-century calvary and church.
• The LKH-Universitätsklinikum, is the biggest hospital of Graz and one of the biggest hospitals in Austria. It is the largest Jugendstil building complex in Austria and was built between 1904 and 1912. It is run by the state and one of the most renowned hospitals in Austria and Central Europe.
• Best viewpoints for vistas of the city are Ruine Gösting, hilltop castle ruins on northwestern edge of city, and Plabutsch/Fürstenstand, behind Schloss Eggenberg with a hilltop restaurant and viewing tower.

Greater Graz area

• Österreichisches Freilichtmuseum Stübing, an open-air museum containing old farmhouses/farm buildings from all over Austria reassembled in historic setting.
• Lurgrotte, the most extensive cave system in Austria.
• Lipizzanergestüt Piber, Lipizzaner stud at Piber where the famous horses are bred.
• The Steirische Weinstraße is a wine-growing region south of Graz, also known as the "Styrian Tuscany".
• Thermenregion, spa region east of Graz.
• Riegersburg, a mighty fortress that was never taken. It was a bastion against Turkish invasions

Culture

During 2003 Graz held the title of "European Capital of Culture" and was one of the UNESCO "Cities of Design" in 2011.

Museums

Kunsthaus

Tramway Museum

City overview from Schlossberg with Kunsthaus in the middle

The most important museums in Graz are:

• Schloss Eggenberg with Alte Galerie (paintings and sculptures from the Romanesque to the end of the Baroque period), Coin Collection, Lapidarium (Roman stonework collection),Archeological Museum (featuring the Cult Wagon of Strettweg) a special exhibitions area and the 90,000 m² romantic landscape gardens.
• Museum im Palais: museum of Styrian cultural history from the Middle Ages to the present.
• Neue Galerie: visual arts from the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Natural History Museum: exhibition of botany, mineralogy and zoology.
• Stadtmuseum Graz: city museum.
• Kunsthaus: exhibition hall of contemporary art.
• Forum Stadtpark: museum of contemporary art.
• Camera Austria: museum of contemporary photography.
• Landeszeughaus: medieval armory comprising 32,000 pieces of armour and weaponry, largest of its kind in the world.
• Volkskundemuseum: museum of folk culture and lore.
• Diözesanmuseum: museum of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Künstlerhaus: exhibition hall of contemporary visual arts.
• Literaturhaus: museum of contemporary German literature.
• Museum der Wahrnehmung: museum of the senses, samadhi bath.
• Kindermuseum Frida&Fred: museum for children.
• Tramway Museum: 40 historic trams, the oldest dating from 1873.
• Kriminalmuseum: museum of criminology.
• Luftfahrtmuseum: (Graz airport) aviation museum.
• Hanns Schell Collection: key and lock museum, largest of its kind in the world.
• Austrian Sculpture Park: seven hectares of contemporary sculpture.
• Botanical Garden of Graz: three architecturally interesting glass houses plus gardens.

Architecture

The Old Town and the adjacent districts are characterized by the historic residential buildings and churches found there. In the outer districts buildings are predominantly of the architectural styles from the second half of the 20th century.

In 1965 the Grazer Schule (School of Graz) was founded. Several buildings around the universities are of this style, for example the green houses by Volker Giencke and the RESOWI center by Günther Domenig.

Before Graz became the European Capital of Culture in 2003, several new projects were realized, such as the Stadthalle, the Kindermuseum (museum for children), the Helmut-List-Halle, the Kunsthaus and the Murinsel.

• Tallest buildings

Herz-Jesu-Kirche

Buildings in Graz which are at least 50m tall:

	Name or Address	Completion	Usage	Height (m)	floors
1.	Herz-Jesu-Kirche	1887	church	109
2.	Elisabeth Hochhaus	1964	residential	75	25
3.	Kärntner Straße 212, Liebenauer Hauptstraße 309	1968 and 1955	residential	69	21
4.	Franziskanerkirche	1240	church	69
5.	Telekom Austria Tower	1960s	office	65	15
6.	Basilica Mariatrost	1724	church	61
7.	Hafnerriegel	1960	residential	61	19
8.	Styria Media Center	2014	office	60	15
9.	St. Peter Pfarrweg, Kindermanngasse, Hanuschgasse	1970s	residential	55	17
10.	Vinzenz Muchitschstraße, Ungergasse, Kärntner Straße 216, Eggenberger Gürtel	1970s	residential	52	16

Buildings that will be at least 50m high currently (2015) under construction: the eco-friendly "Science Tower", this 60m tall office building will house various local green technology companies when completed and will be a zero-energy building.

Sports

SK Sturm Graz is the main football club of the city, with three Austrian championships and five runner-up seasons. The Grazer AK also won an Austrian championship, but went into administration in 2007 and was excluded from the professional league system.

In ice hockey, the ATSE Graz was the Austrian Hockey League champion in 1975 and 1978. The EC Graz was runner-up in 1991-92, 1992–93 and 1993-94. The Graz 99ers plays in first division since 2000.

UBSC Raiffeisen Graz plays in the Austrian Basketball League.

Transport

Tram at Jakominiplatz

An extensive public transport network makes Graz an easy city to navigate without a car. The city has a comprehensive bus network, complementing the Graz tram network consisting of eight lines. Four lines pass through the new underground tramstop at the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) and on to the old town before branching out. Furthermore, there are seven night-time bus routes, although these run only at weekends and on evenings preceding public holidays.

The Schlossbergbahn, a funicular railway, and the Schlossberg lift, a vertical lift, link the city centre to the Schloßberg.

From the main railway station (Graz Hauptbahnhof), regional trains link to most of Styria. Direct trains also run to most major cities nearby including Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Maribor and Ljubljana in Slovenia, Zagreb in Croatia, Budapest in Hungary, Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic, Zürich in Switzerland, as well as Munich, Stuttgart, Heidelberg, and Frankfurt in Germany. Trains for Vienna leave every hour. In recent years many railway stations within the city limits and in the suburbs have been rebuilt or modernised and are now part of the "S-Bahn Graz", a commuter train service connecting the city with its suburban area and towns nearby.

Graz Airport is about 10 km (6 mi) south of the city centre and has a railway station ("S-Bahn") within walking distance (east of the airport). Graz Airport has flights to various destinations including Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Zürich, Istanbul and Vienna. Ryanair formerly flew to London (Stansted) from Graz until 2012.

Health

In Graz there are seven hospitals, several private hospitals and sanatoriums, as well as 44 pharmacies.

The LKH-Universitätsklinikum Graz is one of the hospitals that can provide maximum care, with 1556 beds and 7190 employees. It covers the east of the city. In the west of the city there is the LKH Graz-West in Eggenberg with 280 beds and about 500 employees, the Landesnervenklinik Sigmund Freud (LSF) in Straßgang with 880 beds and 1,100 employees, as well as the Unfallkrankenhaus der AUVA in Eggenberg with 180 beds and a total of 444 employees.

Furthermore, there is the geriatric hospital Albert-Schweitzer-Klinik in the west of the city with 304 beds, the Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder I in Lend with 225 beds, the Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder II in Eggenberg with 260 beds and the Krankenhaus der Elisabethinen in Gries with 182 beds.

There are several private clinics as well: the Privatklinik Kastanienhof, the Privatklinik Leech, the Privatklinik der Kreuzschwestern, the Sanatorium St. Leonhard, the Sanatorium Hansa and the Privatklinik Graz-Ragnitz.

EMS in Graz is provided solely by the Austrian Red Cross. Perpetually two emergency doctor's cars (NEF – Notarzteinsatzfahrzeug), two NAWs (Notarztwagen – ambulances staffed with a doctor in addition to regular personnel) and about 30 RTWs (Rettungswagen – regular ambulances) are on standby. Furthermore, several non-emergency ambulances (KTW – Krankentransportwagen) and a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) are operated by the Red Cross in order to organise transportation of non-emergency patients to and between hospitals. In addition to the Red Cross the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Österreichs (Labor-Samaritan-Alliance), the Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria (the Austrian organisation of the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps) and the Grünes Kreuz (Green Cross) operate various non-emergency ambulances (KTW) for non-emergency patient transportation. In addition to the land-ambulances there's also the C12 air ambulance helicopter stationed at Graz airport, which is also staffed with an emergency doctor in addition to regular personnel.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Austria

Twin towns and sister cities

Graz is twinned with:

Coventry, West Midlands, England, since 1948 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany, since 1968 Dubrovnik, Croatia Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands, since 1964

Ljubljana, Slovenia (since 1979) Maribor, Slovenia, since 1987 Montclair Township, Essex County, New Jersey, United States, since 1950 Pécs, Hungary, since 1989

Pula, Croatia, since 1972 Saint Petersburg, Russia Trieste, Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, since 1973 Trondheim, Norway, since 1968

Timişoara, Romania, since 1987

Other forms of cooperation and city friendship similar to the twin city programmes

• Niš, Serbia
• Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Notable residents

The following are past and present notable residents of Graz.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger, former bodybuilding champion, actor and former governor of California. Born and raised in the farming village Thal, 2 km (1 mi) from Graz. In 2005, the Graz football stadium named after Schwarzenegger was renamed Stadion Graz-Liebenau after controversy over the use of the death penalty in California; now it is called the UPC-Arena
• Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, writer and journalist, studied in Graz; the term masochism is derived from his name
• Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, architect of the Baroque period
• Johann Puch, Slovenian inventor, mechanic and vehicle producer
• Ludwig Boltzmann, Austrian physicist, Professor of Mathematical Physics at the University of Graz (1869), chair of Experimental Physics at the University of Graz (1876–1890)
• Robert Stolz, Austrian composer and conductor
• Friedrich St. Florian, Austrian-American architect
• Olga Neuwirth, one of the most important contemporary Austrian composers
• Nicolaus Harnoncourt, born in Berlin and raised in Graz, a conductor known for his performances of classical works on period instruments
• Helmut Kollars, writer and illustrator
• Jochen Rindt, the first Austrian Formula One champion raised in Graz by his grandmother
• Otto Wanz, former professional wrestler who held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship
• Wolfgang Bauer, Austrian writer
• Werner Schwab, playwright and visual artist
• Bernd Brückler, professional ice hockey player
• Hermann Schloffer, surgeon
• Victor Franz Hess, Nobel prize-winning physicist
• Thomas Tebbich, decathlete and pole vaulter
• Thomas Vanek, professional hockey player, born in Baden bei Wien, raised in Graz
• Helmut Marko, former racing driver
• Emanuel Pogatetz, 1. FC Nuremberg defender
• Markus Schopp, former football midfielder
• August Musger, inventor of the slow motion technique in cinema
• Karl Böhm, Austrian conductor
• Hans Hollmann, theatre director and actor
• Lili Novy, Slovenian poet
• Otto Loewi Nobel prize-winning physiologist
• Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, Archduke of Austria-Este and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne
• Nikola Tesla, studied electrical engineering in Graz
• Gert Schnider, Abalone-champion
• Baron Roman Ungern von Sternberg, prominent figure in the Russian White movement and dictator of Mongolia in 1921
• Eduard Roschmann
• Rainer Binder-Krieglstein, contemporary musician
• Anton Rintelen, cabinet minister and Nazi conspirator
• Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg, Austrian statesman and early "prime minister" during the Thirty Years' War
• Mick Blue, an pornographic actor and director
• Manfred Hoeberl, powerlifter and strongman
• Gregor Hammerl, President of the Federal Council of Austria
• Elisabeth Eberl, Olympic javelin thrower
• Michael Gspurning, current goalkeeper for FC Schalke 04 II
• Ernestine von Kirchsberg, painter
• Johannes Kepler, during his career, Kepler was a mathematics teacher at a seminary school in Graz
• Erwin Schrödinger, briefly chancellor of the University of Graz in 1936

See also

• Austria portal
• List of World Heritage Sites in Austria

References

• "Graz: Stadtplanung und Stadtentwicklung (Rechnungshofbericht, 2006) in German" (PDF). 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2008.

Further reading

Published in the 19th century

• "Gratz", Southern Germany and Austria (2nd ed.), Coblenz: Karl Baedeker, 1871, OCLC 4090237 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
• Fetridge, W. Pembroke (1881), "Gratz", Harper's Hand-book for Travellers in Europe and the East, New York: Harper & Brothers {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
• Graz, Illustrated Europe, Zürich: Orell Füssli & Co.

Published in the 20th century

• "Graz", The Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed.), New York: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1910, OCLC 14782424 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
• "Gratz", Austria-Hungary (11th ed.), Leipzig: Karl Baedeker, 1911 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)

External links

Official websites

• "Municipal data for Graz". Statistik Austria.
• City website Template:De icon Template:En icon
• Graz Citizen's Service
• Graz Tourism Office
• KulturServerGraz Town's cultural portal
• Public transport in Graz

History

• Jews in Graz. Expelled 1439 – returned 1447 – expelled 1496 – returned 1783 – holocaust (from Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971)

Further information

• Various Graz Information Sorted by Categories. Choose from 5 languages.