Chinese Pavilion

Graz

The Chinese Pavilion has been inviting visitors to take a break since 1890. It is a late example of chinoiserie, which adopted East Asian stylistic elements from the 17th century onwards. Before that, a vine arbour had stood here. A legend is connected to the stone bench with weathered lettering and Gothic tracery on the back, which is known as the Bishop’s Seat. In 1796, a bishop named Nádasdy is said to have died on the bench after being released from 40 years of detention on the Schlossberg. The site was therefore named Bishop’s Seat. But there is no evidence of a bishop of this name, nor of his tragic death. The bench might have been made from the remains of a part of the Grazer Burg that was demolished in 1854.