A Guide to Lend, Graz’s Coolest Community District

For years, Graz’s Lend neighbourhood (District 4) was avoided by the bourgeois residents of the Inner Stadt. The “other side”, as it was often dubbed, was seen as shady, with bars, brothels and merchants constantly passing through on one of the main trade roads linking Vienna with Italy. Fast forward to today, and Lend is now both the city’s coolest neighbourhood and my hands-down favourite of Graz’s 17 districts.

Lend’s reimagining is undoubtedly one of the main reasons Graz has been classified as a UNESCO City of Design, though it shouldn’t be glossed over that this has led to some gentrification. Still, with independent boutiques, restaurants with flavours from around the world, plenty of second-hand bargains to be found and a strong community spirit, as showcased in the annual Lendwirbel festival, Lend retains its special atmosphere. Here are my favourite “other side” spots.

Lend’s Best Sights, Attractions & Events

Discover Graz Tours

There’s no better introduction to the “other side” than Discover Graz’s Lust and Vice tour. Over a few hours, you’ll meander between brothels-turned-bars, learn the secret sex lives of Lend’s former residents, and touch on the social and political aspects that have shaped the city today. 

The Murinsel 

The Murinsel – literally meaning “the Island in the Mur” – is an icon and a legacy of Graz’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2003. Like the first bridge constructed to connect Graz’s Inner Stadt and the Lend district in 1833, a beautiful chain bridge that lasted less than 50 years, the Murinsel uses some of the best technology of its time. It’s also predicted to have a similar lifespan, although this time, as intended.

Designed by NYC artist Vito Acconc in curved steel and glass, the part bridge, island, gallery, amphitheatre and cafe is actually more of a ship, constructed to adapt to the Mur’s rising and falling water levels. Take a walk through the covered archways, which double as a gallery, or enjoy a coffee on the tiered terraces’ deckchairs. It’s quite something to feel cocooned on a river in the heart of Austria’s second-largest city. 

Originally, the Murinsel was meant to remain only for the Capital of Culture year. However, local affection grew for their new island – it had originally received a fair few objections – and in the end, the city decided to keep it anchored in place, making it a semi-permanent landmark. 

Kunsthaus, aka the Friendly Alien

Affectionately known as The Friendly Alien, due to the tentacle-like additions on the rooftop, Graz’s modern art museum opened in 2003, during Graz’s year as European Capital of Culture. As you can see from the glass, curved facade, it’s a rather out-of-place design, the work of Sir Peter Cook and Colin Fournier.

When this “Friendly Alien” plonked itself down on the edge of the district, alongside the Mur River, it’s fair to say that some of the residents weren’t best pleased. Over time, though, the cultural space with its curved, tentacle-like elements on its roof has become a beloved part of the city’s skyline. The Kunsthaus is part of the reason Graz became a UNESCO City of Design in 2011.

Entrance is free for Graz Card holders, and it’s well worth a visit even if just to appreciate the architecture quickly. There’s also an excellent, elevated viewing platform fronting the building, with sweeping views of the river, Old Town and Schlossberg. Find the “tentacle” that points directly towards Graz’s iconic clock tower, framing it permanently. 

Visit ten minutes before the hour, and you can hear the Alien emitting a strange noise. This sound, played outside the building, is one of the museum’s original works: Max Neuhaus’ Time Piece Graz.

Bauernmarkt Lendplatz

Graz’s Farmers Markets are about much more than just local produce, and Lend’s meeting place is no exception. By day, you’re able to buy local apples, lettuce, Styrian specialities like pumpkin seed oil and wild berries – or whatever is in season – from the very farmers who produced it. But by afternoon, Lendplatz becomes a go-to social hub.

In the far corner, skaters practice their tricks. At lunch and into sunset, the terraces of restaurants and bars overflow, whether it’s locals enjoying a glass of seasonal sturm, an indigenous young wine that is served still fermenting and only available around September, or award-winning ham from Vulkanland, another of Styria’s regions, at V-Vau. 

There are craft beers, tacos, and, every week over the summer, an al fresco salsa class that brings friends and strangers together to dance, drink, and laugh. The rest of the year, Pierre’s bar hosts the salsa inside. Browse the stalls, enjoy a snack or drink, and soak in the spirit of Lend. 

Mariahilferplatz & Mariahilferkirche

Lend’s square, with access to the Murinsel and lovely views of the Schlossberg, regularly hosts events, musicians, activities and one of Graz’s most lively Christmas markets.

Set in the shadow of the 17th-century Mariahilferkirche’s twin towers, the church is worth a peek. But don’t miss the cute, tucked-away courtyard entered via a small gate on the left-hand side of the church. 

Lendwirbel

Best known as the name of Lend’s annual community-powered festival each spring, Lendwirbel is actually much more than a calendar highlight. It’s a community project and volunteer-led association focused on ensuring the city remains fair and inclusive for all residents by opening up community spaces and organising community events. The HQ also doubles as a store selling goods by local artists. Take a look inside to find some truly unique, handmade pieces.

Volksgarten & Pride

Leafy and green, Volksgarten is one of Graz’s best parks. It’s sliced down the middle by the Grazer Mühlgang, one of the last remaining waterways of the 13th-century Graz Mill Canal, constructed to power mills throughout the city. While the Mühlgang stretches for some 25 kilometres, the majority of it has either been built over or drained.

Volksgarten is the main venue for the city’s annual Pride event, Graz CDS. The parade ends here with a fantastic party, which goes on until after sunset. 

Raum117 Creative Collective

Raum117, Graz’s creative collective, are responsible for much of the street art you’ll see in the Lend district and beyond. Currently, they are based in a large former factory near Graz’s Smart City, though, sadly, funding and relocation issues mean they will likely have to reallocate in the not-so-distant future. Sometimes the space is open to the public for concerts, exhibitions or mini-festivals; check their Instagram to see more of their work and any upcoming events. 

Street Art Beyond the Station

Pass through Graz’s train station – look up in the main ticket hall to see Austrian artist Peter Kogler’s 3D-effect mural – to reach the old water tower on the western fringes of Lend, and you’ll find an area in the midst of modernisation as part of Graz’s “Smart City”. 

Stepping out of the station, you’ll be greeted by a still semi-industrialised area. Since 2022, local mural painters and street artists from afar have been invited to leave their mark here, adding colourful splashes to this former industrial neighbourhood. On Daungasse, you can see works by local artists, including Seas (see-as) and David Leitner, now based in Vienna.

Behind the apartment blocks, two large murals combine classic and contemporary designs as part of the Kaiserschild Walls of Vision street art project. These pieces used artwork housed in Graz’s Alte Galerie in the Universalmuseum as their historic starting point. The wall on the opposite side of Daungasse, behind the grassy area, includes the Flemish master Denis van Alsloot’s “Forest Landscape with a Noble Hunting Party”. The mural is by Argentinian street artist duo Malditas Ternura.

Nearby, Höring Areal, a former coffee factory turned into an art project, features recent painting, spraying and tagging from 2025’s Design Month event (sadly paused in 2026). For a more in-depth overview of the district’s street art and murals, book a guided street art tour with Discover Graz.

Smart City & Helmut List Halle

The Smart City, at the edge of Lend, is Graz’s most modern, still-evolving district. Many of the former industrial warehouses here have already been converted, though some remain.

The “Smart” in the Smart City refers to advanced construction methods used to promote sustainability. The most notable example is the futuristic tower, which also serves as a research and science centre. Geothermal and photovoltaic power heat and cool the building.

Below is the Helmut List Halle. Until 2002, this acclaimed concert hall was a factory. Totally reimagined, the building was rearranged and reconstructed with glass, steel, and concrete, and is now regarded as one of the most acoustically pleasing performance spaces in Austria. 

Schell Collection

One of Graz’s smaller and more unique museums, the Schell Collection, slightly beyond Lendplatz, is a rather niche collection focusing on caskets and locking mechanisms. While not included with the Graz Card, cardholders do receive a discount.

This article was written during a blogging residency in Graz hosted by Graz Travel Deeper. As always, all opinions and words are my own.