Carmelite Church of St. Joseph

The Carmelite Church of St. Josef is a Roman Catholic church located in the Geidorf district of Graz. It serves as the monastery church for a convent of the Discalced Carmelites.Before the 1930s, there was a church in Graz called St. Joseph’s Church, which unfortunately collapsed.

In the early 19th century, the Carmelite nuns made an attempt to acquire the property that included the small church of Maria Schnee. However, their efforts were unsuccessful.Maria Schnee was later associated with the Discalced Carmelites.

The Carmelite nuns settled in Grabenstrasse at the foot of the Rosenberg in 1836.The existing building from the late Biedermeier period was converted into a convent and subsequently expanded.The church, which lacks a tower and has a single aisle, is seamlessly incorporated into the monastery building. Its façade faces Grabenstrasse.

The first monastery of the Discalced Carmelites in Graz was established in 1641. It was located on the former Fischplatz, which is now known as Andreas-Hofer-Platz, and Neutorgasse. The monastery was founded by Eleonora Gonzaga, the second wife of Emperor Ferdinand II (1578-1637). In 1654, she handed over the monastery to its intended purpose.

The consecration of the monastery church took place in 1660.During the period of Josephinism, the monastery was dissolved on January 12, 1782, resulting in the closure of the church.The complex became part of the military era two years after its establishment.The facility was initially used as a military educational center. Later, the KK Military Uniforms Economy Commission established a clothing depot (No. 3) within the facility.

In May 1914, the City of Graz purchased a property and initiated the demolition of a building that extended into the present-day Andreas-Hofer-Platz. The purpose was to construct a new building for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at this location. The project aimed to be completed by December 1915 and was supported by a competition.However, construction was suspended due to the war, and the project was not resumed thereafter.

Following the demolition work in 1934, there is no longer any trace of the monastery and its associated church.Graz churches and museums have preserved valuable pieces of church furnishings.Today, the southern part of the former monastery has been replaced by the building of Holding Graz.