Town Hall of the City of Graz

The Graz town hall serves as the official seat of the Graz city government, including the mayor of Graz, the municipal council, and certain departments of the city administration.

The initial construction of Graz’s first town hall took place in 1450, specifically in the Judengasse.The building, commonly referred to as the Old Chancellery, quickly outgrew its space. As a result, in 1550, a new town hall was constructed in a Renaissance-style design at its present location on the main square.The building had a minimalist design, with ornaments solely embellishing the corners.At that time, the building also served as the main guard facility and contained a prison on its third floor.The building was demolished in 1803 and subsequently replaced by a new, classicist structure. This new building, designed by Christoph Stadler, was constructed between 1805 and 1807.

The construction cost of 150,000 guilders was funded through a specifically implemented wine tax.The town hall was expanded in 1869.Work on a new building commenced in 1887, utilizing plans created by architects Alexander Wielemans and Theodor Reuter. This new structure incorporated certain elements from the previous building.The expansion involved the purchase of surrounding buildings.However, the plans could not be fully implemented because the owners of Herrengasse 4, 6, and 8 successfully defended themselves against the demolition.During the 1960s, there was a discussion about the possibility of modernizing the intricately designed historic facade and simplifying it in a way that aligned with the classicist style of the previous building.In July 1966, during the referendum, the residents of Graz made a clear decision to keep the familiar facade, with a significant majority of 83%.

The current image of the old German town hall mostly reflects its final stage of expansion. The south wing of the building was constructed in 1889, while the main wing was added in 1893.The main facade of the building, which faces the main square, features a central risalit with a cupola and a small corner tower that extends to its full height.In 1922, the decoration on the façade was partially simplified.The majority of niche figures were lost, with only two sandstone figures (known as lansquenets) and a sandstone bust managing to survive on the west front.The figures were originally created by artists Hans Brandstetter, Karl Lacher, Karl Peckary, Emanuel Pendl, and Rudolf Vital.The niche figures depict significant Austrians, such as the Habsburg emperors, alongside four prominent allegories: “Art,” “Science,” “Commerce,” and “Business.”These objects were recreated in 2001 and then placed back in their original location.

Located at the main square, there is a portal numbered 1-2, adorned with four pillars. Beyond this portal, there is a passage that leads to a spacious courtyard surrounded by various structures.The neighboring Cafe Sacher has been renting out the garden as a guest garden for several years.The four allegorical figures are positioned on the facade, just above the entrance.For several years, a bookshop called Pock was rented in the ground floor rooms on the main square, specifically to the left of the entrance.On the right side of the portal, extending into Schmiedgasse, you will find a branch of the Steiermärkische Sparkasse. The bank’s right to operate there dates back to its involvement in financing the construction of the town hall.Shops are available for rent in Landhausgasse, located to the right of the entrance, as well as in Herrengasse.

Adjacent to the entrance from the main square, there is a generously sized staircase that extends into the courtyard. This staircase has a square floor plan and consists of three sets of stairs on the right side for each step leading up to the third floor.There is an 8-person lift that connects to the stairwell. Additionally, it is barrier-free on the courtyard side, next to the passage.

The wedding hall is located on the first floor, directly above the entrance hall.The building has undergone two reconstructions in the past 20 years. Additionally, it has been inclusive of non-heterosexual partners since 2013. Furthermore, there are four allegorical figures displayed on the facade.

The municipal council meeting room located above has a ceiling height equivalent to two standard floors.The second floor provides access to the meeting level, which features a shallow three-sided balcony along the ledge of the façade.In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler delivered a speech to a sizable audience in the central square of this location.The mayor’s office is located on this floor, to the right of the meeting room when facing the main square, towards Herrengasse.The entrance to the GR meeting room is located opposite the anteroom and a small hall. This small hall is often used for standing receptions and also houses the city senate meeting room, which faces Schmiedgasse.

The visitor gallery of the GR boardroom can be accessed on the 3rd floor.The offices of the city councilors and community council clubs are situated in the wings along Schmiedgasse and extending further along Landhausgasse.Display boards showcasing important women who worked in Graz are located in the corridors on the courtyard side.The corridors in the Landhausgasse wing serve as a gallery for photography and young art, featuring changing exhibitions on two floors.

Adjacent to the main entrance, there is a door that is typically kept locked. This door marks the start of a corridor that leads to a winding staircase, which in turn leads to the attic.You can access the floor above the GR meeting room from here. This floor contains a walled chamber that houses the mechanical clockwork of the town hall clock.The central axis of the room, located under the dome, consists of a riveted sheet metal pipe dating back to around 1890. This pipe has an outside diameter of approximately 102 cm and a length of slightly over 20 m. Its purpose is to create a chimney effect, directing the warm exhaust air from the meeting room upwards.This pipe can accommodate four additional exhaust air pipes of the same type, each with a diameter of approximately 40 cm. It can also accommodate a newer sheet metal exhaust pipe with a rectangular cross-section.

There are a total of 110 and a half steps from the corridor to reach the lantern on top of the dome. Out of these steps, 83 spiral directly around the central tube. The lantern is situated on a balcony that can be accessed from all sides.The location of cell phone antennas is here.The exhaust air pipe is equipped with louvre slots that allow air to be released in all directions. Additionally, there is a smaller lantern above the pipe that provides protection from rain.Additionally, the pipe termination is equipped with a compressed air siren from the state warning system.