1432 graz, austria's st. giles' gothic cathedral

Hidden Stairwell at St. Giles' Cathedral, 1438-62, by SAL

I did not intentionally venture to Graz, Austria, but it was on the way between Vienna and Ljubljana, Slovenia. As a result, Graz was one of the places I remember most from one of my architectural study tours through Europe. Graz has a small village and a scenic hill upon which it appeared to me the place where the city began its origins. Graz is definitely worth a day's visit.

Most interesting to me, however, was the St. Giles' Cathedral built between 1438-62 by Friederick III, the first emperor of the House of the Habsburg. Having an undergraduate degree essentially in architecture history and then to have completed a masters in architecture in conjunction with living in France for a year and traveling heavily throughout Europe thereafter, I have seen a lot o gothic structures in many different signature countries including France, England, Italy, Austria, and Germany.

Hidden Stairwell at St. Giles' Cathedral, 1432-68, by SAL

What strikes me most about this particular gothic cathedral in Graz is the fact that it really was built during the gothic period, but completely defies gothic precepts and imagery. I have several photos of this church that I have not yet included on this blog that further illustrate my point. However, for simplicity purposes, let's look at this hidden staircase as an example.

First of all, the designer(s) and mason(s) of this stairwell apparently thought they could achieve one of the most sculpturally-interesting stairwells of all time, but they also thought they could carve stone to make it appear as though it were butter, or, in fact, wood. The details on these stairs are something one would find on a wooden staircase. Wood was historically used in gothic cathedrals for stairways.

The English cathedrals tended to defy gothic architectural standards, which is why English cathedrals can be so interesting. But, in Graz, they take the cake for the highest marks of creativity and ingenuity. If we look at the history of the origins of the germanic people, they have a long history for being expert craftsmen. I am in awe of their craftsmanship shown in this stairwell.

These photos may be a little confusing as well. There were two different entry points at the base of the stairwell. The two paths converge together as shown below, thus making this a highly sculptural structure. I am very happy they did indeed choose stone for this stairwell so we can enjoy it for generations to come.

Lastly, this stone stairwell that is crafted with wooden details reminds me a bit of the Egyptians who built their living city of wood and reeds in stone for the afterlife. Fortunately, we have the Egyptian stone cities as well to enjoy.

Hidden Stairwell at St. Giles' Cathedral, 1432-68, by SAL