Grazer Burg & Doppelwendeltreppe

Period

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Graz Castle & double spiral staircase Graz seat of the governor and late Gothic double spiral staircase.Separation and reconciliation. The architecture of an official residence can also always hold surprises. The castle is part of the Graz city crown and the seat of the state government. Structurally altered over the centuries, it offers interesting elements from the Gothic, Renaissance and Biedermeier periods and is a real gem. Particularly exciting is the double spiral staircase, which at first seems like an optical illusion. The "Staircase of Reconciliation" consists of two opposing staircases that briefly merge, separate and then come together again on each floor.Opening hours:Daily 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. The history of the castle and the double spiral staircaseThe centuries have changed a lot at the Habsburg residence in Graz, which was built in 1438 and is now the official residence of the Governor of Styria. New sections were added, others destroyed. But you can still find numerous impressive testimonies of times gone by. From Biedermeier to Renaissance and back to the Gothic. The famous double spiral staircase dates from this period. And these inscriptions – A.E.I.O.U. A.E.I.O.U. According to the German historian Konstantin Moritz Langmaier, stands for “Amor Electis Iniustis Ordinor Ultor”. The phrase means something like “loved by the chosen, feared by the unjust” in German – and can be found in contemporary documents by and about Frederick III. to be found.Kaiser Friedrich III.A.E.I.O.U. Emperor Frederick III had on his property and on all the buildings he had constructed. The inscription A.E.I.O.U. can also be found on some of the facades of Graz Castle. to discover. In 1438, Frederick, as Duke of Styria, decided to build a new residence in Graz. At the same time, he built the court church and today's cathedral of Saint Aegydius, and even had it structurally connected to his residential wing in the castle, which no longer exists today. For years, people have been puzzling over what the letter formula A.E.I.O.U stands for; it can be found on many buildings and objects in Austria. The German historian does not believe that the mystery surrounding the A.E.I.O.U abbreviation will be solved until March 2023. A.E.I.O.U. stands for "Amor Electis Iniustis Ordinor Ultor". The phrase, which in English means "Beloved by the chosen, feared by the unjust," is embedded in contemporary documents by and about Frederick III and in a longer Latin sentence: "En, amor electis, iniustis ordinor ultor; Sic Fridericus ego mea iura rego."Emperor Maximilian IFrederick's son, Emperor Maximilian I, continued building the Graz Castle. And he left behind one of the most important Gothic staircases in Europe for posterity. A double spiral staircase - two staircases running in opposite directions that merge for a few steps on each floor, separate again, and then reconnect... This architectural work of art, created in 1499, is often interpreted as a symbol of eternity. The people of Graz call the staircase the “Staircase of Reconciliation”. Separate paths lead back together.Archduke Charles II.From 1564 onwards, Archduke Charles II resided in the castle in Graz. From here he ruled over Inner Austria, a complex of countries that extended as far as Istria, Trieste and Gorizia. The court of Charles and his wife Maria of Bavaria, the promotion of art and the lively building activity meant a golden age for Graz. The castle was also expanded. In addition to the Charlemagne wing, the registry wing was built with arcades and sgraffito decorations in the style of the Northern Italian Renaissance. Since 1959, several busts have commemorated important Styrian citizens on a green area in front of the building. Among them are the baroque composer Johann Josef Fux and the architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, the inventors Viktor Kaplan (turbine) and August Musger (slow motion), poets and scholars. The so-called Gallery of Honor could be expanded to include many more heads...Did you know? The Habsburgs always called their residences "Hofburg". Since there was already a castle in Graz, it was quickly renamed "Schloss". This is how the Schlossberg got its name.

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