Schlossberg

hill, Graz, Austria

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

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The Schlossberg is a prominent hill in Graz, Austria, that overlooks the city. Its name, meaning "Castle Hill," derives from gradec, a Slavic word for "small fortress." A fortress likely existed on the Schlossberg as early as the 9th century.1

While the original fortifications were destroyed in 1809, the hill now features parks and two surviving landmarks: the clock tower (1559) and the belfry (1588). The Schlossberg is a significant feature of Graz, which is the second-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Styermark.12

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Graz
…probably a fortress on the Schlossberg (“Castle Hill”), a rocky cone some 1,550 feet (470 metres) high that dominates the city. The name Graz is derived from gradec, a Slavic word meaning “small fortress.” First mentioned about 1128–29, it received town rights about 1240 and became the centre of Steiermark…
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…probably a fortress on the Schlossberg (“Castle Hill”), a rocky cone some 1,550 feet (470 metres) high that dominates the city. The name Graz is derived from gradec, a Slavic word meaning “small fortress.” First mentioned about 1128–29, it received town rights about 1240 and became the centre of Steiermark…
Read More