The Uhrturm in Graz: A Landmark With History

High above Graz's old town, on the Schlossberg, stands the Uhrturm, the city's undisputed landmark. When Napoleon's troops ordered the Graz fortress demolished in 1809, the city's residents paid a large sum to save the tower, while nearly every other defensive structure was razed to the ground.

Reversed Hands

A distinctive feature of the tower is its oversized clock hands, historically reversed: the small hand marks the minutes, the large one the hours, so the time could be read even from a distance. This unusual design still sparks conversation among visitors today.

The Finest View Over Graz

From the Schlossberg plateau around the Uhrturm, the view stretches far across Graz's old town and the Mur valley. The hill can be reached by the Schlossbergbahn funnicular, an elevator inside the mountain, or on foot along winding paths starting from the city centre.