Graz

Graz, or GRAZ (formerly Grütz), the capital of Styria, in Austria, 141 miles SSW. of Vienna by rail, is a picturesque old town with four suburbs, built on both sides of the Mur, and encircled by fine gardens and pleasure-grounds. Of the former fortress, erected on a hill in the centre of the town, and dismantled in 1809 by the French, two towers and other remains still exist. The town itself contains several old buildings, as the Late Gothic cathedral (1462), two other Gothic churches (one built in 1283), the ancient castle of the Styrian dukes, the Landhaus, where the nobles of the duchy held their meetings, the university, originally founded in 1586 (with 1134 students in 1885, and a library containing 120,000 volumes), an armoury, palaces of the Styrian nobles, and four monasteries dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. There are also national archives, a cabinet of coins and antiquities, a technical school (Johanneum), a second library of 70,000 volumes, and a botanic garden. The most important of its many industries are the manufacture of machines, steel goods, rails and railway carriages, sugar, wine, perfumery, stearine candles, soap, &c. Fat capons, biscuits, and chocolate figure prominently as articles of trade. Graz is a favourite place of residence for Austrian officials retired from service. Pop. (1890) 112,069, including a garrison of 5000 men. The town is mentioned in the annals as early as 881. In 1481 it repulsed the Hungarians from its walls, and in 1532 the Turks. In 1797, and again in 1809, it was occupied by the French. In the vicinity are several hydropathic establishments and holiday resorts. See Ilwof and Peters, Geschichte und Topographie der Stadt Graz (1875).