Lend (Graz)

The Murinsel (German, literally Mur island) in Graz, Austria, is an artificial floating "island" in the middle of the river Mur and links the two banks on both sides. At night the blue navigation lights that surround the structure light up. This landmark of Graz was designed by New York City artist Vito Acconci on the occasion of Graz becoming the 2003 European Capital of Culture.Described by the artist as "A bowl that morphs into a dome that morphs into a bowl…" Mur Island is in the form of a giant sea shell and measures 47 m (154 ft) in length. Two footbridges connect it with both banks of the Mur. The center of the platform forms an amphitheatre. Below a twisted round dome there is a café and a playground.

The Schlossbergbahn, or Schloßbergbahn (English: Castle Hill Railway), is a funicular railway in the Austrian city of Graz. It connects the city centre with the Schloßberg, a hill and the site of a demolished fortress, with extensive views over the city.The Schlossbergbahn should not be confused with the Schlossberg lift, a vertical lift which links the Schloßberg with the tunnel system beneath the hill, and via that with the city centre.

The Kunsthaus Graz, Grazer Kunsthaus, or Graz Art Museum was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in Graz, Austria. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporary art from the 1960s onwards.

Graz Hauptbahnhof, abbreviated Graz Hbf (German for Graz Main Station; sometimes translated as Graz Central Station), is the main railway station in Graz, the capital of the Austrian federal state Styria. The station is located some 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the city centre, to which it is connected by tram.The station serves as a major node on the Southern Railway, which links it to Vienna in the north, and Slovenia in the south. It is also the terminus of the Styrian Eastern railway line, which runs eastwards towards Hungary, and of the local Köflach railway line to the west. In the future, the Koralm Railway will provide a direct link from Graz to Italy via Klagenfurt.

The Eiserne Haus (Iron House) is a building in the Lend district of Graz, Austria. It was built in 1848, and is unusual in having a cast iron frame. It is now part of Kunsthaus Graz, a cultural centre.

The Schlossberg (German: Schloßberg, lit. 'Castle Mountain') is a tree-clad hill and the site of a fortress in the centre of the city of Graz, Austria. The hill, at 473 metres (1,552 ft) above sea level, is now a public park and affords extensive views of the city. It is the site of several entertainment venues, cafés, and restaurants, and is managed by Holding Graz, the city-owned utility company.

The Universalmuseum Joanneum (German: [univɛʁˌzaːlmuzˈeʊm joʔaˈneːʊm]) is a multidisciplinary museum with buildings in several locations in the province of Styria, Austria. It has galleries and collections in many subject areas including archaeology, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, botany, zoology, history, art and folk culture. It is the oldest museum in Austria as well as the largest universal museum in central Europe with over 4.5 million objects in 13 departments and 12 locations in the Styrian cities of Graz, Stainz, Trautenfels, and Wagna (Flavia Solva). To reflect this status and its growth over the last two centuries, as well as to present a more recognizable image internationally, the Landesmuseum Joanneum was officially renamed to Universalmuseum Joanneum on 10 September 2009.

The Fairytale Express Graz is a 2 km (1.2 mi) long 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge grotto railway in the tunnel of the Schloßberg (castle hill) in Graz. It starts in the tunnel at the lower level of the Schloßberg lift, which is accessible from Schloßbergplatz.

The Franciscan Church (German: Franziskanerkirche) and Franciscan Monastery (German: Franziskanerkloster) are a church and associated monastery in the centre of the city of Graz, Austria. The monastery was founded by the Franciscan order, who still own it, and is first mentioned in 1239.In the church, a high but narrow 14th-century chancel contrasts with the comparatively low and wide nave. The chancel was gutted by a bomb in World War II, and subsequently rebuilt with a new contemporary interior. The stained glass windows bathe the church in light, whilst the chancel is dominated by a grey cast iron crucifix that seems to hover. The organ was installed by the Potsdam based Schuke company in 2004. The original Gothic cloisters of the monastery enclose a monastery garden, and are open to the public. The walls of the cloister are lined with the names, professions and life data of the distinguished burghers and noblemen who were buried in this place between the 15th and the 18th centuries. On the first floor of the monastery, with windows looking into the chancel of the church, is the oratory, where the friars meet for their holy offices.The high tower, one of the more prominent Graz landmarks, is unusual for a Franciscan establishment. It owes its existence to the church's strategic location next to the city walls, and was built as a fortified tower by the city authorities in the 17th century.

The Duchy of Styria (German: Herzogtum Steiermark; Slovene: Vojvodina Štajerska; Hungarian: Stájer Hercegség) was a duchy located in modern-day southern Austria and northern Slovenia. It was a part of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806 and a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary until its dissolution in 1918.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Graz, Austria.

The Steiermärkische Bank und Sparkassen AG (mostly called Steiermärkische Sparkasse for short) was founded in 1825 as Vereinssparkasse (Steyermärkische Spar-Casse) and is thus the oldest financial institution in Styria. Business operations began on 15 May 1825 at the first business premises at Landhaus, Schmiedgasse No. 9. The actual founder of the Steiermärkische Sparkasse was the Emperor's personal representative and Governor in Styria: Franz von Hartig. Since 1823 he had been the Imperial and Royal Count of Styria, Governor of Styria and thus head of the Imperial and Royal Styrian Gubernium, the country's highest political authority. In addition to his political responsibilities, he also was in a role inspired him to found a Sparkasse in Graz. Since 1823 he had been a member of the Association of the First Austrian Spar-Casse with direct insight into the beginnings of the Sparkassen system in Austria. As early as 1824 he had decided to found an institute of this kind in Styria as well.