Graz’s cathedral stands on the shadow of a 12th century Romanesque church dedicated to St. Ägydius (St. Giles).
300 years later, in 1438, the long-lived Frederick III decided to use the site for his parish church. Frederick’s castle – the Burg – and his mysterious imprimatur are right across the street.
In 1577, Charles II, the Archduke of Austria and father of the rabidly anti-Protestant Ferdinand II, gifted the church to Jesuits. With the help of imported and native artists, they proceeded to turn into a candy box of Baroque.
Today, the Dom has a gold-encrusted interior, a painting of the Crucifixion by Conrad Laib, and a rare Gothic fresco called the Landplagenbild. The main entrance is next to the World War One Memorial.
The Dom is where the Corpus Christi procession begins its peregrinations. If you’re in the city during this public holiday (early June), don’t miss the chance to see the spectacle.