Yesterday, inspired by my cave adventure, I met my friends Andrea and Herbert this morning to go hiking through Raablamm (gorge of the Raab river), surrounded by limestone mountains with more than 700 caves, including the famous Katerloh and Grasshöhle, two publicly accessible caves and major tourist attractions in the Vaiza area.
Again, we drive through the hills of Göttelsberg, Haselbach, Leska and Dürntal to park our car near the entrance to the Raab Gorge. Andrea gave me a pair of Nordic walking poles, which I was going to try for the first time. Nordic Walking, also called “walking in the field” or “fitness walking”, is a sport consisting of walks with modified ski poles. Originally popular in Finland and Scandinavia, Nordic Walking has become extremely popular throughout Europe, although in North America it has not yet reached.
At first I was a little skeptical about this concept, but as soon as I tried the walking poles, I realized that walking uphill and downhill became much easier, because the poles provided additional support and balance. And the continuous movement of the hand burns 40% more calories than walking alone and contributes to faster movement, even on flat terrain. An additional advantage of Nordic walking is that part of the same weight is distributed along the poles, which reduces the pressure on the back, as well as on the knee and hip joints.
Now, having seen the advantages of walking across the pole, we began our descent into the valley of the Raab River on the first, gently steep, sloping forest path. Raabklamm is Austria’s longest gorge and is divided into “Grosse Raabklamm” (large Raab gorge) about 10 km long and “Kleine Raabklamm” (small Raab gorge about 7 km long). We were directly straight to Grosse Raabklamm, which is the wilder of the two sites, characterized by vertical limestone cliffs, wooden bridges, suspension bridges, walks next to the river, as well as sections of the path that deviate from the water and lead you along an elevated part of the slopes. I already explored Kleine Raabklamm last Saturday with my sister-in-law Anneliese.
Raablammam itself remained very natural and undeveloped and is home to a very diverse group of animals, such as foxes, badgers, as well as mouflons, wild sheep species, which are also called "goat antelope." Amphibians, such as the fire salamander and a diverse selection of birds of prey, contributed to the creation of Raablammam as a protected area “Natura 2000”, in the region of nature conservation in Europe. Plant life along the steep limestone cliffs also includes reminders of ancient pine forests and the many alpine plants.
We only covered the whole area of Gross-Raaklammam and historically climbed near the river, and at other times we left the river along the slopes of the gorge. My friend Herbert used a pair of suspension bridges to demonstrate the laws of physics and started shaking the device while Andrea and I walked. Fortunately, the suspension bridges are quite solid, and all the tracks and stairs are well maintained. After an hour and a half of hiking, we arrived at the hydro-dam, which is part of the local hydro-generating system. This region of Austria was electrified in the late 1800s, mainly at the initiative of the local electricity pioneer, Franz Pichler. On this day, hydropower delivers about two-thirds of all the electricity used in Austria and my home town of Weitz, was one of the centers of early hydropower.
After admiring some rather ancient-looking hydrogenerating equipment, we climbed the local country road and headed back to my car, which we parked earlier, to our point of reference. Andrea and Herbert had to leave, and I planned to continue the excursion to Graz, the provincial capital. But before that, I had to feed my appetite, and I was only a minute away from a well-known local restaurant, which undoubtedly amazed Austrian delicacies. Gasthaus Reisinger is one of the restaurants located close to Raablamme. In fact, the Austrian Gashouse concept is much more rustic and down-earth than the North American “restaurant”. “Gasthaus” (literally: “guest house”) will usually serve as traditional traditional Austrian food; it also often has an open patio, since outdoor food is very popular in Austria; and many Gasthäuser also offer bed and breakfast.
This is true with the Gasthaus Reisinger, which offers not only Austrian cuisine and a beautiful courtyard, but also bed and breakfast function, mainly for guests from places such as Vienna or other urban parts of Austria and Germany. I sat down to announce a long menu, and decided on two local specialties: “Fritattensuppe” (pancake strips soup), an item that I always need to eat several times when I return home, and also “Mulbratlbrot” - a piece of Austrian rye bread , covered with a thin layer of butter and thin slices of a special tender cut of smoked pork, topped with horseradish.
Rye bread, covered with a variety of cold cuts or smoked meat, is a typical intermediate dish in Austria, as well as a popular snack for tourists and visitors to “Buschenschank” (a restaurant that uses village local products owned and operated by a local grower). On this beautiful day, the sun shone, and I fully enjoyed the peaceful and serene hills of Eastern Styria. I realized again that the area in which I grew up was a really beautiful neck of the forest. The restaurant owner, Mr. Reisinger, brought me food, and we chatted a little bit about the fact that I was actually a local who emigrated to Canada more than 20 years ago. On the other hand, he worked full-time on repairs at a local wood processing plant until a few years ago, when his elderly parents began demanding full care. Since then, he has managed his full-time hotel facility with his wife and children, a typical Austrian family business.
The food was delicious, and after picking ice cream for dessert, I was perfectly prepared for the next destination: Graz, the capital of Styria and the second largest city in Austria. A few minutes from the restaurant, I stopped my car to look back at these rolling hills, one of my favorite places when I grew up, and chat with some of the cows that lay around a large pasture.
Most of the livestock in Austria is still based on free-run methods and makes a significant contribution to the country's economy. About 80,000 cattle have about 2.1 million cattle, of which about 800,000 are dairy cows. Only 5.5% of Austrian cattle farms have more than 100 animals, and small farms provide a close link between the farmer and his animals. Obviously, these cows enjoyed a carefree lifestyle and an unlimited ability to roam the hilly pastures.
I continued to drive 25 km of country roads to the largest urban center of Styria. With a population of about 250,000, Graz is the second largest city in Austria. Despite the fact that it is a significant regional and industrial center, Graz is not as famous as small cities such as Salzburg and Innsbruck. Thanks to its immaculately preserved architectural heritage, Graz was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and became the European Capital of Culture in 2003. Its name comes from the Slovenian term “Gradec”, which means “small fortress”.
At the eastern entrance to the city there is a suburban area called Mariatrost, which is crowned with the large pilgrimage church of Mariatrost. I stopped at the top of the Purberg hill, parked the car and walked past a large restaurant to the front of the church. The Maria Consolation Basilica was built between 1714 and 1724 in the Baroque style.
Ceiling frescoes in the interior of the church deserve special attention. Two huge towers with a height of 61 m attach the church and the dome to the eastern edge of the building and are visible from afar. Before the church opens access to the stairs under the name "Steps of Angelus". Until now, the Basilica of Mariatrost is the second most important pilgrimage church (after Mariazell) in the Austrian province of Styria.
I continued my trip to the center of Graz and parked my car in the underground garage near the Graz-operas - more than 20 euros - this is not an inexpensive way to see the city, but it is difficult to find affordable parking in the center of Graz. My first stop was the Graz Opera House, a neo-baroque building that was opened in 1899 and damaged during an air strike in World War II. A few steps further west I reached Herrengasse, the main shopping street of Graz, framed by dozens of elite retailers and restaurants with outdoor patios. The Graz tram line continues throughout this main street.
On the western side of Herrengasse are two main landmarks: Landeszeughaus (Armory), a museum of weapons with approximately 32,000 exhibits, including seat belts, helmets, armor, rifles and pistols, and Landhaus, the seat of the Styrian provincial government. One of the most stunning renaissance structures of Central Europe, this palace was built in the first half of the 16th century according to the plans of the famous architect Domenico del Allio. The three-story arcade is a real architectural stone, and at the southern end of the square guests can relax in the historic Landhauskeller restaurant with an attractive courtyard.
On the other side of Herrengasse is “Gemaltes Haus” - also called “Herzogshof” (“Painted House or Duke”), painted house, the baroque frescoes of which were created in 1742 by Johann Meier and illustrate the gods of Roman-Greek mythology. Just a few steps away, I reached the Graser Haupplatz or the main square of Graz. This intensive, essentially triangular square on both sides is framed by five and six-storey neat houses, painted in different colors of intuition, such as salmon, ocher, red brick, as well as many detailed facade ornaments.
The south side of the square is occupied by “Rathaus” - a bright historian at the end of the 19th century in the palace of Graz. In front of him is Erzherzog-Johann-Brunnen (the Archduke Johann's Fountain), which is surrounded by a variety of urgent fast foods and trading stands, which in autumn fall into typical Austrian sausages, french fries, flowers and magazines, and roasted chestnuts. On the northeast side of Hauptplatz there is a view of the famous landmark of Graz: Uhurtur (Clock Tower), located on the Schlossberg hill, overlooking the city.
I continued my walk north through this pedestrian zone along historic Sackstrasse and entered a truly historic restaurant: “Crawfish Cellar” has been a restaurant here since 1538, and its courtyard was full of culinary admirers. Across the street is the famous Erzherzog Johann Hotel, which has also been a restaurant since 1852. A few steps to the north, I entered another historical building, whose courtyard was decorated with a metal sculpture, which surprisingly presented all sorts of American footballs.
The marks are the so-called Schlossbergplatz, a square framed by various bourgeois houses and historic restaurants, which have stairs to Schlossberg. Then I crossed the road and went south along the River Mura to one of the newest attractions of Graz: “Murinsel” (Moore Island) was built in 2003, when Graz was the European cultural capital. New York designer Vito Acconci created the design of an artificial island that connects the eastern and western shores of the Mur and, presumably, resembles a sea shell. The interior of the island has an amphitheater, a restaurant and a playground.
Now I had to investigate the most notable elevation of the city: Schlossberg (literally “Castle Hill”). I did this by taking pleasure in Schlossbergbahn, which is part of the Graz public transport system. The original steam funicular was opened in November 1894 and operated until 1960. After extensive reconstruction and restoration of the steep rails, spring began to work as early as 1961, until it closed its doors in February 2004.
The third generation of this fun was launched in early 2004 and cost about 2.5 million euros. The new generation of vehicles is more spacious and has glass-covered roofs and windows that provide a great view of the city when you climb the mountain. It takes a little more than two minutes to get from the base station to 123 m at the height of the upper station and at a price of 1.70 euros is an affordable and interesting way to climb the famous hill of Graz.
Upstairs I walked out onto the outdoor patio of the restaurant, which offers a phenomenal view of Graz and the surrounding mountains. A few steps away, I saw the Glokenturm (Bell Tower), a historic building from 1588, which still has a bell weighing 4,200 kg and is called Liesl. Schlossberg had a medieval castle from the 1500s (therefore the name "Castle Mountain"), which was ordered to be destroyed by Napoleon in 1809. Only the famous landmark Bell Tower and Graz, Uhurthm, remain the fortress. The locals paid a considerable ransom to the French troops to hold on to their favorite sights.
Walking south of Glokentura, I arrived at Stalbastei (the Stable Bastion), a fortress with 20-meter and 6-meter walls, the construction of which began in 1544. Today there are various implements that adorn the bastion and on the front of the building there is a beautiful view of the city. “Turkenbrunnen” (Turkish well) is located under the bastion, a well with a depth of 94 meters, which cuts into the groundwater level of the Mur River. Its purpose was to provide water even for a long period of precipitation.
Uhrturm itself, commonly known as the symbol of Graz, is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It is assumed that the core of the tower dates back to the 13th century and was already mentioned in historical records in 1265. Its current appearance dates back to 1560. Four large watch faces adorn the four sides of the tower, and it is interesting to note that the hour hand is less than a minute.
Initially, the tower showed a very large hour hand, and the minute hands that were installed later had to be designed smaller so that people could distinguish from each other. Fortunately, because of the ransom paid in 1809, the tower survived, and we can still admire it today, while the reminder of the fortification was destroyed. The tower was also used as a fire alarm bell, as “Bell of poor sinners”, which was performed during operations, and as a bell that announced closure of hours for local hospitality institutions.
Right under the Uhrturm is a small garden surrounded by flowers, which offers a magnificent view of the city and its main square. I started wading from the Schlossberg along the serpentine paths in the park and stopped at the entrance to Schlossbergstollen (Schlossberg tunnel), part of a tunnel system that was built into the mountain and used as a cover for air raids during air attacks of World War II. Today you can cross the mountain base through this tunnel. At the base I reached the Carmeliterplatz square. There is also a stunning courtyard in one of the buildings on the north side of Sporgasse village, and I wish I had more time to explore the hidden treasures of the secret courtyards of Graz.
I turned left into a street called Hofgasse and stopped in a very unusual building: Edegger-Tax Bakery, the so-called royal bakery, the oldest similar institution in Graz, which dates back to 1569. This stunning 1896 carved wooden portal sets it apart from the surrounding plaster houses and at the end of 1800 this bakery became the official supplier of the ruling royal families of Austria.
My walk continued to the Freiheitsplatz (“Freedom Square”), which is the seat of the Graz Theater. Across the street from the Schauspielhaus Theater is the House of Grazer, a cathedral that dates back to 1438. On the southern side of this late Gothic church is decorated with a picture of three disasters: Black cloak, war and locust. The Austrian imperial coats of arms, as well as Styria and Portugal, point to historical aristocratic ties.
Next to the House is the Mausoleum of the Austrian Emperor Francis Ferdinand II, one of the most important structures of Mannerism and the early Baroque of Austria. Designed at the end of 1600, this is the last resting place of Francis Ferdinand, as well as many other rulers of the Hapsburgs.
Я продолжил свою прогулку по Bürgergasse и превратился в маленькую Абрахам на улицу Санта-Клары, пока я не добрался до площади Glockenspielplatz («Площадь Кариллона»), метко названный в честь карильона, построенного в 1905 году, который очаровывает толпы зрителей три раза в день в 11 am, 3 и 18:00. Деревянная пара, одетая в традиционные штирийские наряды, и мужчина с поднятым бокалом вина, танцуют со старыми мелодиями из 24 колоколов.
Этот весь район является частью Бермудских островов («Бермудский треугольник»), самой популярной развлекательной зоной Граца, которая сосредоточена вокруг Мельплац, Прокопигассе и Фэрберплац. Десятки гостиничных учреждений, большинство из которых имеют наружные патио, соблазняют местных жителей и путешественников, чтобы исследовать кулинарные и развлекательные возможности, которые предлагает Грац.
Через один из крошечных проходов я вернулся на главную площадь и взял еще один крошечный переулок, полный баров, ресторанов и небольших магазинов в задней части Францисканкеркирхе (францисканская церковь). С фронта церкви открывается прекрасный вид на реку Мура из Музея современного искусства «Кунстхаус», который был завершен в 2003 году и похож на закругленный космический корабль. Весь центр города Грац наполнен барами и ресторанами, а все площади и переулки полны «Schanigärten» (наружные патио), которые побуждают вас сесть, отдохнуть и насладиться любимыми австрийскими блюдами и напитками.
Мне очень понравилось мое исследование Граца и домой, чтобы отдохнуть с моим братом и невесткой и задуматься над днем, полным открытий. В Граце было бы гораздо больше, но мне пришлось бы оставить некоторые места для моего следующего визита. После приятного обеда из пиццы в местном ресторане в Вайце я отправился в постель рано с завтрашнего дня, мы отправимся на крупную экскурсию: поездку в горы Словении и Италию!
