Becoming Urban - Reconstructing the city of Graz in the long 19th century (BeUrb)

This project focuses on the development of the city of Graz in the “long 19th century” (1789-1914). A geographic information system will be established in order to analyze and visualize the transformation of the city through time as well as its perception thereof during the process of urbanization. Therefore, it combines maps with written sources, images as well as latest historical research data, using existing digital assets, which will be complemented by not yet digitized sources. Thereby, BeUrb lays a solid foundation for the analysis of urban development in a period that is characterized by its rapid and radical changes.

Furthermore, the GIS provides a tool to identify places and structures, which had a strong impact on the city’s evolution until today. Hence, the project not only gives an insight into the historical development but also provides approaches for a better understanding of the present-day city. Apart from the scholarly use of such a system, the project will implement a web-platform which will also be open for private and touristic use, that can be accessed with mobile devices on site and will be implemented in future exhibitions of the City of Graz Museum. Thus, as a collaboration of the University of Graz, the GrazMuseum and the city archive, the project output will benefit scholarly research that reaches into society, but also further community engagement and the knowledge transfer to local schools and international tourists.

Team: Martina Bürgermeister (ZIM-ACDH University of Graz), Matthias Holzer (City Archive Graz), Antonia Nussmüller (GrazMuseum), Jakob Sonnberger (ZIM-ACDH University of Graz), Leif Scheuermann (ZIM-ACDH University of Graz)