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Glite Dictionary
Graben

Graben

1 8.4
A busy walking street in central Vienna with old buildings and many shops
  • proper noun
: Graben
  • Every year, the city hosts events on the Graben that bring people together.

Examples

  • Graben are troughs bounded by vertical faults - long, linear valleys whose floors have sunk or whose sides have risen.

    Academic text (1991)

  • I love walking along the Graben to enjoy the street performers and cafes.

  • The Graben is filled with tourists admiring the stunning architecture.

Surface Forms

Graben main

Etymology

Graben comes from the German word graben, which means 'to dig' and also 'ditch' or 'trench'. The famous street in Vienna was once a deep ditch outside the old town, so its name still reminds us of that past even though today it is a busy, elegant shopping street.