Mausoleum, Graz

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The Mausoleum & Katharinenkirche are a must, when visiting Graz ! Both of them are next to the Dom and the Mausoleum dates back to the year 1614. Emperor Ferdinand gave the order to build the Mausoleum and the church next to it. It was built by the italian painter and architect Giovanni Pietro de Pomis. The oval dome above the krypta was the first of its kind outside of Italy.
The Mausoleum was finished by a young man from Graz, who became one of the most famous baroque architects in Austria :
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (architect of Karlskirche etc. in Vienna)
Today the church and the Mausoleum are a museum !
The Mausoleum & Katharinenkirche is open :
daily 10.30a.m.-12.30a.m. + 01.30p.m.-04.00p.m.
There is just 1 ticket for both of them,
including the tower of the Mausoleum
(BUT the tower is IMHO not worth the effort !!)

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Putting the lacklustre Cathedral to shame is the neighbouring Mausoleum, built in 1614 for the Archduke Ferdinand. Its multiple domed roof and graceful geometric lines produce a very pleasing look. I always find that a great piece of architecture is one that makes life easy for the viewer. If I can take many pictures from different angles and have many of them come out looking better than average, with little effort on my part, then it has to be a great building. The Mausoleum of Graz certainly works on this level.