Graz Cathedral

The cathedral, episcopal church, and parish church of St. Gydius, Grazer Dom, is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Graz-Seckau.The parish of Graz-Dom is part of the Graz-Mitte deanery of the Stadtkirche Graz.

The cathedral is regarded as one of the most important art and cultural-historical structures in Graz, Austria, and the entire province of Styria.The late Gothic-style architecture was constructed in the 15th century under Friedrich III. Court church of the Roman-German emperors, and in 1786, when Graz became the seat of a bishopric, it was promoted to the position of cathedral church.The religious structure, which was designed as a church fort outside the medieval city walls, lies on an elevated location between Bürgergasse and Burggasse.The cathedral, along with the nearby imperial tomb, castle, and theater, forms the ensemble of the Graz city crown.

Building history

Because the Graz Cathedral is dedicated to St. Aegydius, it is also known as the Cathedral Church of St. Aegydius.Since at least the 12th century, there has been a church dedicated to St. Aegydius on the location of today’s cathedral.A record mention dates from 1174, and the first priest in Graz was mentioned in 1181.However, little remains of the original church.

As Emperor Frederick III. began building of the Graz Castle in 1438, so did construction of the new church.This is the time when the two-story connecting corridor between the castle and the cathedral was built.As with all others throughout Frederick III’s reign.Graz Cathedral’s structures carry the inscription AEIOU and engraved or painted dates: 1438 in the old sacristy, 1450 in the choir vault, 1456 on the west doorway, and 1464 in the vault painting.As a result, 1464 is thought to be the year of completion.A market reward certificate from Emperor Friedrich for May 1st of each year, dated 1441, is related with the church consecration event of the time.As a result, May 1st is commemorated today as the anniversary of the cathedral’s dedication.

During the choir building era up to 1450, the first cathedral master builder was most likely Graz-born Hans Niesenberger, who was appointed Master of Grätz der Weissnaw in 1459 at the Hüttentag in Regensburg and Master Johannes of Graz in 1483 at the Milan Cathedral.

The edifice was the court church in 1564 and the town parish church until 1573 (a role that was taken over in 1585 by the previous Dominican church, which is now the town parish church).The Jesuits were granted permission to use the church in 1577.A sacristy was erected in 1615; between 1617 and 1667, four additional chapels were built: the Pest Chapel, the Mater Dolorosa Chapel, the Franz Xavier Chapel, and the Cross Chapel.A crypt was created under the church in 1678, but entrance to the crypt within the church was barred in 1783.The church was elevated to cathedral rank in 1786.

In 1831, a terrace wall and a large flight of stairs replaced the embankment to Bürgergasse, and the connecting tunnel to the Jesuit College was destroyed.The two-story connecting corridor from the cathedral to the castle was dismantled in 1853/1854.

In 1962/1963, the Graz municipal government had the inside of the church significantly rebuilt according to Karl Raimund Lorenz’s ideas. This includes the construction of a new free-standing altar table as well as the removal of a wrought-iron grating between the nave and the choir.

After an existing crypt beneath the Marienkapelle and beneath the Kreuzkapelle in the cathedral was adapted as a new burial place for the bishops of Graz-Seckau, the deceased bishops were transferred from Emperor Ferdinand II’s mausoleum next to the cathedral to this new bishop’s tomb in 2010.The cathedral was closed for renovations from May 2019 until Advent 2019, during which time the nave was refurbished. The presbytery will be refurbished in 2020, followed by an organ refurbishment in 2021. Individual chapels will be refurbished in the years to come. Heating, electrical systems, and lighting must all be replaced, and a video installation is also in the works.The refurbishment would likely cost approximately six million euros.

Exterior

The Graz Cathedral appears big and straightforward from the the outside.Only the choir, which is much narrower than the nave, has a movable wall construction with buttresses and elaborate tracery ornamentation.Apart from a few fresco remnants, the once-impressively painted façade are now mostly white.The best-known example is the painting of the plague of God on the south side of the nave, credited to painter Thomas von Villach, which relates to the year 1480, when three plagues raged over Graz: disease, conflict, and locusts.

The chapels linked to the side of the building and the two ridge turrets were added later; today’s great ridge turret in the west is by Gregor Pacher and was erected in 1653 replacement of an older one, 1580-1582 by Vinzenz de Verda.The smaller east ridge turret was constructed in 1739. The stone gates on the long sides originate from the third quarter of the 17th century, as do the tin-plated doors with outstanding fixtures.On the church’s outside walls, there are also several walled-in tombstones dating from the 16th to the 20th century.century to witness.

A medium-sized bronze sculpture of the church patron gydius sculpted by the well-known Graz artist Erwin Huber in 1998 may be seen in the eastern outdoor area (between the cathedral or tomb and Burggasse).The highly ornamented west doorway is definitely in the Gothic architectural tradition.Only the baldachins and angel head consoles, as well as the sculptures in robes, have survived from the original statedepicting Mary, Joseph, John the Baptist, and Saint Leopold dating from the 19th century.

Above the 1456 gateway is the emperor’s AEIOU and coat of arms depicting the double-headed imperial eagle, the Austrian shield, and the coats of arms of Portugal and Styria.The Portuguese Coat of Arms was designed in honor of Frederick III’s bride, Eleanor Helena of Portugal, daughter of the Portuguese Queen.

Inside

The inside of the church has been altered multiple times, including the addition of side chapels and a baroque organ gallery.Nonetheless, the Graz Cathedral is a hall church, a style that was popular, particularly in the late Gothic period, and can be found, for example, in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna or the former Neuberg Collegiate Church, but also in some church buildings in the immediate vicinity of the Graz Cathedral ( Maria Trost in Fernitz and parish church Semriach ).

Graz Cathedral’s nave is separated into three naves by eight massive pillars.The extended choir is joined by a towering triumphal arch.The Graz Cathedral’s floor design is comparable to that of the previously built mendicant cathedrals of the Dominicans and Franciscans in Graz.Graz Cathedral, like these two, used to have a rood screen.The reliefs on the cathedral bells were also sculpted using templates developed by Graz artist Erwin Huber.

During construction, vast sections of the inside were colored.Only fragments of this late Gothic fresco artwork have survived, such as the images of Christopher above the side doors or the 1464 exposed tendril and flower motifs in the side aisle vaults.

Barbara chapel

The oldest dated stone in the church can be found in what used to be the sacristy, now known as the Barbara Chapel. It bears the year 1438.Among the two keystones, one depicts Saint Veronica holding the veil, while the other portrays an angel with the Austrian shield. This arrangement symbolizes the equal importance given to both religious and secular authority.In contrast to Romanesque art, the keystones in the nave serve as symbols not only of Christ but also display imperial coats of arms and the coats of arms of different sponsors of the building.

Friedrich’s Chapel

The Friedrich Chapel, located above the Barbara Chapel, was previously believed to be an integral part of the original building design.New investigations have revealed that the Friedrichskapelle was added to the building at a later time.Two years after construction began, Friedrich III became king. It was customary for ruler’s churches at the time to have a western work with a ruler’s gallery. However, this was not initially planned in the church’s design.

Additionally, the steeply sloping terrain in the west made it impossible to install a ruler’s gallery afterwards.Hence, in a notable departure from traditional medieval architecture, a ruler’s gallery was constructed adjacent to the choir for the very first time.Friedrich’s motto, AEIOU, is prominently displayed in this room.The Friedrichskapelle, along with the prayer room built above it (now known as the Romualdkapelle), were rooms that were conveniently accessible to the ruler. They were directly connected to Graz Castle through a bridge.

Reliquaries

Among the most valuable pieces of furniture in Graz Cathedral are the two reliquary shrines, which are placed on marble bases on either side of the triumphal arch.Originally, the two shrines were bridal chests that Paola Gonzaga brought with him from Mantua to Bruck Castle near Lienz for his wedding with Count Leonhard von Gorizia.Following the passing of the couple who did not have any children, the chests were acquired by Millstatt Abbey. Archduke Ferdinand later bestowed these chests to the Jesuits around 1598, providing them with the necessary financial resources to establish Graz University.

In 1617, Pope Paul V donated relics to the Graz Cathedral. As a result, the Jesuits were tasked with retrieving the two chests from Millstatt. Each chest made of oak wood features three reliefs crafted from bone and ivory, showcasing the artistic style of the Italian early Renaissance.The exhibition features six triumphal chariots that correspond to the poem “I Trifoni” by Francesco Petrarch.It is likely that the paintings were designed by Andrea Mantegna, who was employed at the court of Mantua.

Crucifixion in the crowd

The only remaining piece of furniture from Emperor Friedrich’s time is a crucifixion picture made by Conrad Laib around 1457. This picture is believed to have originally served as the altar picture of the cross altar on the Gothic rood screen.The picture is commonly known as “Crucifixion in a Crowd” because it portrays a significant number of people. It is believed to have originated from the Passion Play, a highly popular event during the Middle Ages that garnered great support from the public.

The picture’s background features a continuous gold coloring, which aligns it with the tradition of Gothic painting. However, the realistic portrayals of people and horses already indicate a shift towards the Renaissance.After undergoing several relocations and an extensive restoration process, this picture, which holds great significance as one of Austria’s most important Gothic panel paintings, is currently exhibited in the Friedrichskapelle within Graz Cathedral.

Organ

The cathedral organ that we have today was constructed in 1978 by the renowned Klais organ manufacturer. It is located on a baroque west gallery that was built back in 1687.Architect Jörg Mayr utilized Veit Königer’s décor for Anton Römer’s baroque organ to create the prospectus.The cathedral organ is equipped with four manuals and a pedal. Originally, it had 70 registers with both mechanical and electric register action. In 1998, an additional trumpet mechanism with three registers was installed.Regular organ concerts are held on Sundays during the summer. In 2022, the Rieger organ building company from Schwarzach in Vorarlberg dismantled the organ as part of the fifth phase of the cathedral renovation. It was then reorganized.