What it is
The square was laid out in the 12th century as a market place, and market stalls still stand here today. The town hall on the south side dates from the late 19th century; in the middle stands the fountain to Archduke Johann (1878), the Habsburg prince who did much to modernise Styria, surrounded by allegories of its four main rivers. On the corner of Sporgasse, the Luegg houses show richly stuccoed baroque facades above an arcade.
From here Sporgasse climbs towards the Schlossberg, Herrengasse leads south past the Landhaus, and Sackstraße runs north along the foot of the hill.
Getting there by bus
Hauptplatz/Congress is the hub of the Graz tram network: trams 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 all stop here, as do the night lines. From the main railway station it is about ten minutes by tram 1, 4, 6 or 7.
Buses to other parts of the city leave from Andreas-Hofer-Platz, three minutes' walk away towards the river.
