Allerheiligenkirche, Graz

The Allerheiligenkirche stands on a gentle rise below the Grazer Gaisberg in Eggenberg, a quiet district of Graz. A small medieval church already occupied the spot in the 8th century. The present building began as a late-Gothic structure in the 15th century and was enlarged in the 16th century with Baroque side chapels. Peter von Graden founded the chapel in 1423, and Ursula von Graden expanded it in 1535. A final major change came in 1930 when the west porch was widened. Inside, the single-nave church has a barrel vault whose unfinished stucco decoration dates from 1690 and is attributed to Joseph Antonio Serenio. Baroque paintings and statues from the 17th to 19th centuries line the walls. A stone round-arched portal from the late 17th century marks the entrance, and a small gable turret was added in the 19th century. The organ loft and choir are covered by a cross vault, and the Graden family coat of arms is carved on the parapet. The church sits at the end of Allerheiligenweg, a short lane lined with houses and gardens. From the steps you look across Eggenberg’s rooftops toward the Gaisberg slopes. The quiet surrounds and the soft light on the Baroque plasterwork make the interior feel timeless.