Hornbeam-lined Path

After the demolition of the Schlossberg fortress in 1809 and the withdrawal of Napoleon’s troops, the Schlossberg was laid out as Graz’s first public park according to plans by Ludwig Freiherr von Welden. Paths and avenues, such as the Hainbuchenallee, a path lined by hornbeams which can be dated by counting the annual rings, were laid out as early as 1818.

The hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is found in Europe and East Asia. Due to its particular hardness, its wood is favoured for the production of tool handles and drumsticks. The German adjective ‘hanebüchen’ (incredible, highly remarkable) is a reference to the difficulty of splitting the wood.