Welcome to charming Graz, an exciting place with many nicknames like “UNESCO City of Design”, “City of Human Rights” or the “Culinary Capital City of Austria”. You will discover the harmonious contrast of old and new, its history and importance as an imperial residence of the Habsburg dynasty, and all of its legends. Begin your adventure into history, architecture and modern art, starting from a view of the Schlossberg hill above the city, a testimony of the Middle Ages, when Graz was home to Slavic merchants and traders. Today the Town Hall dominates the market square. Other notable buildings include the 17th-century Luegg House and its impressive stucco façade, the five-story White House with a sandstone relief of the Virgin Mary, the 16th-century Eagle Pharmacy, the 14th century Palais Sturgkh, and the fountain and statue of Archduke Johann dating from 1878. Admire the Landhaushof and its remarkable Renaissance courtyard, the first one in the city. You will be back into the 21st century at the Kunsthaus, Graz's newest exhibition place, and its blob-like ultramodern architecture. Stroll along the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999, one of the best-preserved districts in all of central Europe. The romantic alleys and unique architectural legacy of the imperial days leave an impression of Graz, which name actually means “small city” in old Slavic language.