Schloßberg, Graz

In case you aren't familiar with ß in German, it is the equivalent of a double S in English. So, the Schlossberg of Graz is literally a mountain castle in a location that has evidently been fortified for more than 1,000 years. While the fortress was not conquered, it was demolished after the treaty with Napoleon required it. Today, the grounds are a park with a stage, restaurants and more.
The 1st picture is is of one of the bastions as it exits today. It is restored and adapted, but this does give a sense of how formidable the site was.
Pictures 2 and 3, the bell tower and clock tower, do date back to the old Schloss. I'm told that the people of Graz paid a ransom to save these from destruction. I can att st that both are still working. I was standing by the bell tower on the hour.
The 4th picture is a look at a bit of the garden now in the castle grounds. The 5th picture is an old gate, and the 6th picture is a lion statue commemorating the defense of the nearby bastion against the much larger force under Napoleon.Читать далее