Hello from Austria: A Hike through the Raabklamm
and a Visit to Graz – a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Inspired from my
cave adventure yesterday, I met my friends Andrea and Herbert
early this morning to go on a hike through the Raabklamm (Raab River
Gorge), which is surrounded by limestone mountains that hold more
than 700 caves, including the famous Katerloch and the Grasshöhle,
two publicly accessible caves and major tourist attractions in the
Weiz area.
Landscape in Eastern Styria
Again, we drove through the rolling hills of Göttelsberg,
Haselbach, Leska and Dürntal to park our car near an entrance
point of the Raab Gorge. Andrea had given me a couple of Nordic
Walking poles which I was about to try out for the first time. Nordic
Walking, also referred to as “pole walking” or “fitness
walking” is a sport that consists of walking with modified
ski poles. Originally popular in Finland and Scandinavia, Nordic
Walking has become extremely popular throughout Europe, although
it hasn’t quite caught on yet in North America.
My friend Andrea and I, setting off on our hike
I was initially a little skeptical about the concept, but once
I tried the walking poles, I realized that walking uphill and downhill
both became a lot easier since the poles provide additional support
and balance. And the continuous arm motion burns up to 40% more
calories than walking alone and facilitates quicker movement, even
on flat terrain. The additional benefit of Nordic walking is that
a portion of one’s weight is distributed to the poles, which
reduces the pressure on the back as well as the knee and hip joints.
The "Raabklamm"
Now convinced of the benfits of pole walking, we started our descent
into the Raab River Valley on a first gently, then steeply sloping
forest path. The Raabklamm is Austria’s longest gorge and
divided into the “Grosse Raabklamm” (large Raab Gorge)
with a length of about 10 km, and the “Kleine Raabklamm”
(small Raab Gorge, about 7 km long). We were headed straight towards
the Grosse Raabklamm which is the wilder of the two stretches, characterized
by vertical limestone cliffs, wooden bridges, suspension bridges,
walks beside the river as well as sections of the trail that veer
away from the water and take you along an elevated section of the
slopes. I had already explored the Kleine Raabklamm earlier last
Saturday with my sister-in-law Anneliese.
One of the many bridges in the Raab Gorge
The Raabklamm itself has remained very natural and undeveloped
and is home to a very diverse group of animals such as foxes, badgers
as well as moufflons, a species of wild sheep that is also referred
to as “goat antelopes”. Amphibians such as fire salamanders
and a diverse selection of predatory birds have contributed to the
Raabklamm’s designation as a protected “Natura 2000”
area, a Europe-wide nature conservation area. Plant life along the
steep limestone cliffs also includes remainders of ancient pine
forests and a variety of alpine plants.
View of the Raab Gorge
We only covered a section of the entire Grosse Raabklamm and occasionally
hiked next to the river, and at other times we hiked away from the
river along the slopes of the gorge. My friend Herbert used a couple
of the suspension bridges to demonstrate the laws of physics and
started shaking the contraption while Andrea and I were walking
across. Fortunately the suspension bridges are quite sturdy and
all the trails and ladders are well-maintained. After an hour and
a half of hiking we arrived at the hydro dam that is part of the
local hydro electricity generating system. This area of Austria
was electrified in the late 1800s, primarly at the initiative of
local electricity pioneer Franz Pichler.To this day hydro-electric
power delivers about two thirds of all electricity used in Austria
and my home town of Weiz was one of the centres of early hydro power
generation.
Austrian rural gastronomy - Gasthaus Reisinger
After admiring some fairly ancient looking hydro generating equipment
we hiked back up to the local country road and drove back in my
car, which we had parked earlier, to our point of origin. Andrea
and Herbert had to leave and I was planning to continue my excursion
to Graz, the provincial capital. But before that I had to nurture
my appetite, and I was just a minute away from a well-known local
restaurant whose Austrian delicacies were certain to hit the spot.
Gasthaus Reisinger is one of the restaurants located next to the
Raabklamm. Actually the Austrian concept of “Gasthaus”
is a good deal more rustic and down-to-earth than the North American
“restaurant”. A Gasthaus (literally translated: “guest
house”) will usually serve solid traditional Austrian food;
frequently it will also feature an outdoor patio since eating in
the fresh air is very popular in Austria; and many Gasthäuser
also offer overnight accommodation with breakfast.
A hearty Austrian specialty: a "Mulbratlbrot"
This is indeed the case with Gasthaus Reisinger which does not
only offer Austrian cuisine and a beautiful patio, but also functions
as a bed and breakfast, mostly for guests from places like Vienna
or other more urban parts of Austria and Germany. I sat down to
admire the lengthy menu and decided on two local specialties: a
“Fritattensuppe” (pancake strip soup), an item that
I always have to eat several times when I am back home, as well
as a “Mulbratlbrot” – a piece of Austrian rye
bread, covered with a thin layer of butter and thin slices of a
special tender cut of smoked pork, topped with horseradish.
The owner of the inn
Rye bread covered by a variety of different cold cuts or smoked
meats is a typical in-between meal in Austria, and they are also
a popular snack for hikers and visitors of a "Buschenschank"
(a restaurant serving rustic local foods owned and operated by a
local wine farmer). On this perfect day the sun was shining down
and I thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful and serene rolling hills of
Eastern Styria. Once again I realized that the area I grew up in
was a truly beautiful neck of the woods. The owner of the restaurant,
Mr. Reisinger, brought me my meal and we started chatting a bit
about the fact that I was actually a local who had emigrated to
Canada more than 20 years ago. He on the other hand used to work
full-time in maintainence in a local wood processing plant until
a few years ago when his elderly parents started to require full-time
care. Since that time he has been running his hospitality establishment
full-time together with his wife and children, a typical Austrian
family-based business.
Healthy Austrian cows
The meal was delicious and after picking up an icecream for dessert
I was perfectly prepared for my next destination: Graz, the capital
of Styria and the second-largest city in Austria. Just minutes from
the restaurant I stopped my car to have a look back at these rolling
hills, one of my favourite areas when I grew up, and to chat with
some cows that were lounging around a large pasture.
Curious beasts
Much of Austria’s cattle industry is still based on free-range
methods, and adds a significant contribution to the country’s
economy. Roughly 80,000 cattle farms own about 2.1 million cattle,
of which about 800,000 are dairy cows. Only 5.5% of Austrian cattle
farms have more than 100 animals, and the small size of the farms
ensures a close connection between the farmer and his/her animals.
These cows were obviously enjoying their carefree lifestyle and
their unrestricted ability to roam on the hilly pastures.
The "Rathaus" (City Hall) of Graz
I continued my drive along 25 km of rolling country roads into
Styria’s largest urban centre. With a population of about
250,000 Graz is the second largest city in Austria. Although it
is a significant regional and industrial centre, Graz is not as
well known as smaller cities like Salzburg and Innsbruck. Due to
its impeccably maintained architectural heritage, Graz was declared
a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, and became the European Cultural
Capital in 2003. Its name is derived from the Slovenian term “Gradec”
which literally means “little fortress”.
The baroque basilica of Mariatrost
At the eastern entrance of the city there is a suburban area called
Mariatrost which is crowned by the large pilgrimage church of Mariatrost.
I stopped at the top of the Purberg hill, parked my car and walked
past a large restaurant to the front of the church. The Basilica
of Mariatrost (Maria Consolation) was built between 1714 and 1724
in baroque style.
Interior of the Basilica of Mariatrost
The ceiling frescoes in the interior of the church are particularly
noteworthy. Two massive 61 m high towers anchor the church and cupola
at the eastern end of the structure and can be seen from far away.
The front of the church is accessed through a set of stairs called
the Angelus Steps. To this day the Basilica of Mariatrost is the
second most important pilgrimage church (after Mariazell) in the
Austrian province of Styria.
The Graz Opera House
I continued my drive into the centre of Graz and parked my vehicle
in the underground garage next to the Graz Opera – at more
than 20 Euros not exactly an inexpensive way to see the city, but
affordable parking is difficult to find in downtown Graz. My first
stop was the Graz Opera House, a neo-baroque building that was opened
in 1899 and damaged during an air strike in World War II. A few
steps further west I reached the Herrengasse, the main shopping
street of Graz, framed by dozens of high-end retailers and restaurants
with outdoor patios. A line of the Graz streetcar system continues
all along the length of this major street.
View towards the Stadtpfarrkirche
The west side of the Herrengasse features two major sights: the
Landeszeughaus (Armory), a weapons museum with roughly 32,000 exhibits
including harnesses, helmets, armours, rifles and pistols, as well
as the Landhaus, seat of the Styrian Provincial Government. One
of Central Europe’s most stunning Renaissance structures,
this palace was built in the first half of the 16th century according
to plans of the famous architect Domenico dell’Allio. The
three level arcaded courtyard is a true architectural gem, and on
the southern end of the square visitors can relax in the historic
Landhauskeller restaurant which features an attractive courtyard
patio.
The beautiful arcaded courtyards of the Landaus
On the other side of the Herrengasse is the “Gemaltes Haus”
– also called the “Herzogshof” (Painted House
or Duke’s Estate), a painted house whose baroque frescoes
were created in 1742 by Johann Mayer and illustrate the gods of
Roman-Greek mythology. Just steps northwards from there I reached
the “Grazer Hauptplatz”, or Graz’ main square.
This extensive essentially triangular square is framed on two sides
by five and six story stately houses painted in a variety of intense
baroque colours such as salmon, ochre, brick red, and many feature
detailed façade ornamentations.
Stately houses on Graz' Main Square
The south side of the square is taken up by the “Rathaus”
– the flamboyant historicist late 19th century palace of the
Graz’ City Hall. Just in front of it is the Erzherzog-Johann-Brunnen
(Archduke Johann Fountain) which is surrounded by numerous adjacent
fast food and retail stands that sell typical Austrian sausages,
French fries, flowers and magazines as well as roasted chestnuts
in the fall. The northeast side of the Hauptplatz features a view
of Graz’ most famous landmark: the “Uhrturm” (Clock
Tower), located on the Schlossberg hill that overlooks the city.
A medieval sign adorns a house in the Sackstrasse
I continued my walk northwards through this pedestrian zone along
the historic Sackstrasse and walked into a truly historic restaurant:
the “Krebsenkeller” (Crawfish Cellar) has been a restaurant
here since 1538 and its inner courtyard was full of culinary fans.
Across the street is the famous Hotel Erzherzog Johann which is
also a restaurant since 1852. Just steps further north I walked
into another historic building whose courtyard was adorned with
a metal sculpture that surprisingly featured all sorts of American
footballs.
The Schlossbergplatz
Metres away is the so-called Schlossbergplatz, a square framed
by various bourgeois houses and historic restaurants that features
stairs up to the Schlossberg. I then crossed the road and walked
southwards alongside the Mur River to one of the newest landmarks
of Graz: the “Murinsel” (Mur Island) was built in 2003
when Graz was the European Cultural Capital. The New York designer
Vito Acconci created a design for an artificial island that connects
the eastern and western banks of the Mur and is supposed to resemble
a sea-shell. The interior of the island holds an amphitheatre, a
restaurant and a playground for children.
The Murinsel
Now I needed to explore the city’s most prominent elevation:
the Schlossberg (literally “Castle Hill”). I did that
by taking the Schlossbergbahn funicular which is part of the Graz
public transport system. The original steam-operated funicular was
opened in November 1894 and was in operation until 1960. After an
extensive renovation and rebuilding of the steep rails, the funicular
started operating again in 1961 until it closed its doors in February
of 2004.
View over the city from the funicular
The third generation of this funicular was initiated in early 2004
and cost about 2.5 million Euros. The new generation of vehicles
is more spacious and features fully glass-enclosed roofs and windows
which provide a great view of the city as you ascend up the mountain.
It takes just over two minutes to go from the base station up 123
m in altitude to the upper station and at a cost of 1.70 Euro it
is an affordable and interesting way of getting up to Graz’
famous hill.
The "Liesl" clock tower
At the top I stepped out onto the outdoor patio of a restaurant
that offers a phenomenal view over Graz and the surrounding mountains.
Steps away I saw the Glockenturm (“Bell Tower”), a historic
building from 1588 which still houses a bell that weighs 4200 kg
and is referred to as Liesl. The Schlossberg used to feature a medieval
castle from the 1500s (therefore the name “Castle Hill”)
that was ordered to be destroyed by Napoleon in 1809. Only the Bell
Tower and Graz’ famous landmark, the Uhrturm, were allowed
to remain of the fortress. The local residents had paid a considerable
ransom to the French troops to hold on to their beloved landmarks.
The "Türkenbrunnen"
Walking southwards of the Glockenturm I arrived at the Stallbastei
(“Stable Bastion”), a fortification that features 20
metre high and 6 metre thick walls whose construction began in 1544.
Today there are various cannons that adorn the bastion and at the
open front of the building there is a beautiful view overlooking
the city. Just below the bastion is the “Türkenbrunnen”
(Turkish Well), a 94 metre deep well that taps into the groundwater
level of the Mur River. Its intention was to provide water, even
during extended periods of besiegement.
Graz' symbol: the "Uhrturm"
The Uhrturm itself, known far and wide as the symbol of Graz, is
one of the oldest buildings of the city. The core of the tower is
assumed to date back to the 13th century and was already mentioned
in historic records in 1265. Its present appearance dates from 1560.
Four large clock faces adorn the four sides of the tower, and the
interesting thing to note is that the hour hand is smaller than
the minute hand.
View over the red rooftops of Graz, with the Kunsthaus in the background
Originally, the tower only featured a very large hour hand, and
the minute hands that were installed later had to be designed smaller
so people would be able to distinguish one from the other. Fortunately,
due to the ransom paid in 1809, the tower has survived and we are
still able to admire it today while the remainder of the fortification
was razed. The tower was also used as a fire alarm bell, as a the
“Bell of Poor Sinners” that was rung during executions,
and as the bell that announced the closing hours for the local hospitality
establishments.
Beautiful inner courtyard
Just below the Uhrturm is a small garden surrounded by flowers
which offers a gorgeous view over the city and its Main Square.
I started to make my way down from the Schlossberg along the serpentine-like
paths in the park and stopped by the entrance to the Schlossbergstollen
(Schlossberg Tunnel), part of the tunnel system that is built into
the mountain and was used as air raid shelters during the air attacks
of World War II. Today you can cross the base of the mountain through
this tunnel. At the base I reached the Karmeliterplatz Square. One
of the buildings on the north side of the adjacent Sporgasse also
features a stunning inner courtyard and I wished I had had more
time to explore the hidden treasures of Graz’ secret courtyards.
Wooden carvings at the Edegger-Tax Bakery
I turned left into a street called Hofgasse and stopped at a very
unusual building: the Edegger-Tax Bakery, a so-called royal bakery,
the oldest such establishment in Graz that dates back to 1569. It
stunning 1896 carved wooden portal sets it apart from the surrounding
stuccoed houses and during the late 1800 this bakery became an official
supplier of Austria’s ruling royal families.
The Grazer Dom (Cathedral)
My walk continued to the Freiheitsplatz (“Liberty Square”)
which is the location of Graz’ theatre. Across the street
from the Schauspielhaus theatre is the Grazer Dom, a cathedral that
dates back to 1438. The south side of this late-Gothic church is
adorned with a painting of the three scourges: the Black Plage,
war and locusts. Austrian imperial coats of arms as well as those
of Styria and Portugal point to the historic aristocratic connections.
Mausoleum of Emperor Francis Ferdinand II
Right next to the Dom is the Mausoleum of Austrian emperor Francis
Ferdinand II, one of Austria’s most important structures of
Mannerism and Early Baroque. Designed in the late 1600 it is the
last resting place of Francis Ferdinand as well as a variety of
other Habsburg rulers.
Houses on the Glockenspielplatz
I continued my walk down the Bürgergasse and turned into the
small Abraham a Santa Clara side street until I arrived at the Glockenspielplatz
(“Carillon Square”), aptly named for the carillon built
in 1905 that enchants crowds of onlookers three times a day at 11
am, 3 and 6 pm. A wooden couple dressed in traditional Styrian outfits,
and the male with a raised wine glass, dance to the old melodies
of 24 bells.
View up the Schlossberg from a courtyard
This entire area is part of the Bermuda-Dreieck (“Bermuda
Triangle”), Graz’s most popular entertainment area that
is centred around the Mehlplatz, Prokopigasse and Färberplatz.
Dozens of hospitality establishments, most with outdoor patios,
entice locals and travelers alike to explore the culinary and entertainment
opportunities that Graz has to offer.
The Erzherzog-Johann Brunnen (fountain) on Graz' Main Square
Through one of the tiny passageways I ended up back on the Main
Square and took another tiny alleyway, full of bars, restaurants
and small retail stores to the back of the Franziskanerkirche (Franciscan
Church). From the front of the church there is a perfect view across
the Mur River of the “Kunsthaus”, Graz’ Museum
of Modern Art that was completed in 2003 and resembles a rounded
spaceship. The entire downtown of Graz is chock full of bars and
restaurants and all the squares and side streets are full of “Schanigärten”
(outdoor patios) that entice you to sit down, rest and enjoy some
hearty Austrian food and drink.
The Uhrturm, Graz' most famous landmark
I had thoroughly enjoyed my exploration of Graz, and drove home
to relax with my brother and sister-in-law and to reflect on a day
full of discoveries. There would have been so much more to see in
Graz, but I would have to leave some destinations for my next visit.
After a nice pizza dinner in a local restaurant in Weiz I headed
to bed early since tomorrow we are going to go on a major excursion:
a trip to the
mountains of Slovenia and Italy!
