An unmistakable symbol is the Clock Tower, which rises from atop the Schlossberg, the fortress hill, where the view extends over the Mur River and the rooftops of the Renaissance historic center, which UNESCO has placed under its protection. Must-see stops include the Cathedral, the Mausoleum, the Eggenberg Palace, the splendid arcaded courtyard of the Landhaus by Domenico Dell’Allio, and the adjacent Landeszeughaus, one of the largest arsenals in the world.
In Graz, contemporary architecture is embodied by two structures inaugurated in 2003, the year the city took on the role of European Capital of Culture (a title whose benefits it continues to reap): the Murinsel, the floating island on the Mur, made entirely of steel, designed by New York artist Vito Acconci, housing a café, a playground for children, and a stage. And the Kunsthaus, the super eccentric contemporary art gallery, designed by English architects Cook and Fournier.
Clear signs of the new wave of architecture can also be found in the pavilions of the ReSoWi-Zentrum of the University, in the spectacular elevator inside the Schlossberg, or in the greenhouses of the Botanical Garden.
