Graz (German pronunciation: [ˈɡʁaːt͡s]) is the capital of Styria and the second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. It has about 325,000 residents, with the larger urban area accounting for about 600,000.

Graz has a long tradition as seat of higher education. Around 60,000 students are enrolled in the city's six universities.

The city's historic center is one of the best-preserved of its kind in Central Europe.

For centuries, Graz (Slovene: Gradec) was more important to Slovenes, both politically and culturally, than the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, and it remains influential to this day. Indeed, the city's name, formerly spelled Gratz, most likely derives from the Slavic 'gradec,' which means 'small castle.' The German name first appears in records in 1128.

In 1999, Graz was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, and the site was extended in 2010 with Eggenberg Palace (German: Schloss Eggenberg). Graz was the sole Cultural Capital of Europe of 2003 and became a City of Culinary Delights in 2008.

Text adapted from Wikipedia.