Church of Trinity

The Trinity Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Inner City, which is part of the first municipal district of Graz.The location of the place is between Schloßbergplatz and Murkai on Sackstrasse. The church is accompanied by a monastery building, which is located on the grounds where the Ursuline monastery used to be. Additionally, there is a school building known as Sister Klara Fietz elementary school, which is affiliated with the Graz School Sisters. These buildings are situated to the north-west of the church.

The church, initially known as the Ursuline Church, was built between 1694 and 1704 by Bartholomäus Ebner for the Ursuline Sisters.Emperor Leopold I approved the foundation of the monastery in 1686.The Holy Trinity Church now occupies the location where a moat once existed.From 1687 to 1694, a total of five houses from the second sack were purchased and subsequently demolished to make way for the construction of the monastery complex.The foundation stone was laid in 1696, following the construction of a mortuary chapel in 1694/95.Anton Leithner was responsible for designing the plans for the construction of the Ursuline Monastery, a project that spanned from 1700 to 1722.The sacred building was consecrated in 1704 and was commissioned by the prince bishop. The consecration was carried out by Franz Anton Adolph von Wagensperg.

The Ursulines monastery was not dissolved during the Josephine reforms because the sisters were actively engaged in teaching.In 1900, the building complex was acquired by the Franciscan Institute of the School Sisters in Graz, which is now known as the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. As a result, the Ursulines relocated to the newly constructed convent on Leonhardstraße.The beneficiary house, which was completed in 1699, was unfortunately demolished in 1900.The Trinity Church was not subjected to any alterations. The church is currently under the authority of the Graz-Mariae Himmelfahrt parish, which is managed by the Franciscans. It is part of the Graz-Mitte deanery within the Stadtkirche Graz.

The church was constructed in the Italian Baroque architectural style, following the design of a pillar church, similar to the Jesuit church Il Gesù in Rome.However, this architectural style is known for its shift from the Italian influence to the local building traditions, making it a prime example of the Habsburg Baroque style. This style is considered a manifestation of the South German-Austrian Baroque movement.The front facade of the building is distinguished by its impressive columns, a cornice, and a semicircular gable adorned with volutes on the sides.A sculpture of Archangel Michael, adorned in armor and holding the scales of the Last Judgment, is situated above the portal.The statues of Mary and Joseph are located in the side niches.The pediment prominently features a depiction of the Holy Trinity, with God the Father and Jesus Christ positioned at the center.The depiction above represents the Holy Spirit in the form of a stucco dove.The gable on the Mur side is completed by a slender wooden ridge turret with an onion roof.

The church’s facade was restored in 2018, bringing back its original white color scheme. The church’s interior features a consistent baroque design throughout.The vaulted church room is accompanied by side chapels that have galleries.Another representation of the Trinity is present at the high altar.The sculptures of the four Church Fathers, Gregory the Great, Jerome, Ambrose, and Augustine, can be found between the columns.The Princess of Eggenberg donated the angular pulpit, which is an unusual feature in the Baroque style.A half figure of God the Father adorns the majestic roof.A picture of St. Ursula, after whom the Ursuline order is named, can be found on the altar located on the central south side.