Between the shopping centre and residential buildings, not far from the stadium and the River Mur, you will find a place that may seem inconspicuous at first glance - but is all the more touching at second glance: the St Paul's parish church in Graz-Liebenau. This is not about big bell towers or golden altars. It's about the essentials. About light, silence, community - and about how modern church buildings can characterise an entire district.
St Paul's Church is the spiritual heart of Liebenau. It was built in the 1980s, but still looks contemporary today - thanks to its clear design language, its openness and the way it blends into its surroundings. Especially if you are interested in architecture, urban development or quiet places with a lot of atmosphere, you should put St Paul's on your list.
Away from the hustle and bustle, this is a place to pause for a moment. And a piece of Graz that many tourists overlook - wrongly so.
The beginnings of the Liebenau parish date back to 1948. After the Second World War, a makeshift church was built from a former airport barrack - a simple solution, but for many years the spiritual centre of the district. In 1949, Liebenau became an independent parish.
With the rapid growth of the neighbourhood, today's church was finally built in the 1980s - designed by architect Reinhard Schöpf. The modern, clearly structured building was erected between 1984 and 1987 and has stood on St Paul's Square ever since. The large round window above the entrance is particularly striking - a symbol of openness and light.
Inside, you won't find any overloaded splendour, but a calm, inviting atmosphere. The colourful stained glass windows are by Styrian artist Alois Mosbacher and show modern depictions of Mary and Paul.
St Paul's is not only a place of faith, but also a meeting place for the neighbourhood. Concerts, readings, exhibitions and social projects are regularly organised here. The church consciously opens itself up to the neighbourhood and lives by the principle of open doors - spiritually, socially and culturally.
This church is a real find for anyone interested in contemporary sacred architecture. It shows that spirituality can have a powerful effect even without pomp and history.
A particularly quiet place is the old barrack chapel - the former emergency church, which is still used today as a weekday chapel. There is a carved wooden cross here that was created by German prisoners of war in 1946. An impressive relic that reminds us of the eventful history of the site.
Address:
St.-Paulus-Platz 1, 8041 Graz
Journey:
Tram line 4 or 13 to "Liebenau / Murpark". From there it is about a 10-minute walk along Liebenauer Hauptstraße and past Liebenau Castle.
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