Graz forming a hypocoristic derivative of Proto-West-South Slavic *gradьcъ, whichs descends via liquid metathesis from Common Slavic *gardьcъ and via the Slavic third palatalisation from Proto-Slavic *gardiku, originally denoting "small town, settlement". The name thus follows the common South Slavic pattern for naming settlements as "grad". The German name 'Graz' first appears in records in 1128. Graz is situated on the Mur river in southeast Austria. It is about southwest of Vienna. The nearest larger urban centre is Maribor in Slovenia which is about away. Graz is the capital and largest city in Styria, a green and heavily forested area. These
Graz Innsbruck, Maribor and Ljubljana in Slovenia, Zagreb in Croatia, Budapest in Hungary, Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic, Zürich in Switzerland, as well as Munich, Stuttgart, Heidelberg, and Frankfurt in Germany. Trains for Vienna leave every hour. In recent years many railway stations within the city limits and in the suburbs have been rebuilt or modernised and are now part of the "S-Bahn Graz", a commuter train service connecting the city with its suburban area and towns nearby. Graz airport is located about south of the city centre and is accessible by bus, railway, and car. Direct destinations include