If you're strolling through Graz and want to get to know the city beyond its postcard-perfect side, then sooner or later your path will lead you to Griesplatz. This square isn't your typical sightseeing highlight—but that's precisely what makes it so special. It's raw, loud, colorful—and incredibly vibrant. Here, worlds collide, languages, cultures, and smells mingle like nowhere else in Graz.
Griesplatz is the pulsating heart of a constantly evolving neighborhood. Between Turkish bakeries, Afro-Caribbean hair salons, Syrian snack bars, Slovenian inns, and Styrian convenience stores, you'll find one of the city's most exciting everyday scenes. The air smells of freshly baked flatbread, spices, and espresso. People chat on the sidewalks, children zip between market stalls, buses and trams rattle by—and in the center, the Baroque Plague Column stands as a silent witness to past centuries.
What makes Griesplatz so special? It's not embellished, but authentic. It shows Graz as it really is: open, diverse, sometimes contradictory—but always full of life. Anyone who wants to understand the city should sit here, drink a coffee, observe, and let themselves drift a little.
The Griesplatz is one of the oldest squares in the city and was already an important traffic hub in the 17th century. In the 18th century, it developed into a center of trade, full of restaurants, wagons, and travelers. Here, people worked, traded, celebrated—and also suffered: Baroque plague column, which still marks the center of the square today, reminds of difficult times in the city's history.
Today, Griesplatz is a place in transition. Much is improvised, some is under renovation, but everywhere you encounter real life. The atmosphere is open, informal, and full of contrasts – a piece of real Graz that you'll hardly find in a travel guide.
Come in the morning, when the market is set up, and mingle with the crowd. Pick up fresh flatbread, fruit, or spices from around the world. Then grab a coffee or an ayran and watch the hustle and bustle—perhaps from the window of one of the small cafés. If you have time, stroll further down the Griesgasse toward the Mur River or over to the Parish Church of St. Andrä—also a real insider tip.
Address:
Griesplatz, 8020 Graz
Journey:
Tram lines 1, 3, 6 and 7, stop “Griesplatz”.
Can also be reached by bike or on foot from the city center in just a few minutes.
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Whether hidden courtyards, quiet squares or little surprises in the middle of the city – Graz has countless corners just waiting to be discovered.
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In the middle of the colourful Gries district, you will find a fascinating mixture of baroque splendour and modern art in the parish church of St. Andrä. A place of tranquillity, diversity and surprise - perfect for anyone who wants to discover Graz away from the classics.
Parish Church of St. Andrä
The MUWA in Graz Jakomini is an interactive museum for all the senses - with hands-on art, optical illusions, spatial experiments and the unique Samadhi bath.
MUWA Graz
The Augarten in Graz Jakomini is more than just a park - it is city life, nature and relaxation all rolled into one. Located directly on the River Mur and complemented by the modern Augarten Bay, you'll find the perfect place to switch off, take a walk and enjoy the sun - right in the centre of the city.
Augarten & Augarten Bay
Tucked away in a side street near Griesplatz is one of the oldest and quietest places of worship in Graz. The Bürgerspitalkirche combines Gothic austerity with Baroque splendour - and is a real insider tip for anyone who wants to discover history off the beaten track.
Bürgerspital Church of the Holy Spirit
In the centre of Lend, the futuristic Kunsthaus building nestles up against the historic Eiserne Haus. The "Friendly Alien" is not only one of the most unusual buildings in Graz, but also home to exciting exhibitions of contemporary art and digital media.
Kunsthaus Graz
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