Page 190 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

188  A USTRIA REGION B Y REGION

z Mariazell Basilica

The earliest records of a church devoted to the Birth of the
Virgin Mary date from 1243, but it is believed to have been
established in 1157 and its 850th anniversary was celebrated
in 2007. Mariazell is the main pilgrimage centre for the Roman
Catholic population in this part of Europe. Pilgrims arrive all
year, but high points are Assumption (15 Aug) and the Birth of
the Virgin (8 Sep). Mariazell became famous in the 14th century,
when King Louis of Hungary founded the Gnadenkapelle
(Chapel of Mercy) to give thanks for his victory over the Turks.

View of the Church
Church Interior In the 17th century, the
The basilica was originally a church was extended to
Gothic hall church, which is still accommodate the growing
apparent despite the Baroque- number of pilgrims, and
style alterations carried out in the central tower was
the late 17th century by supplemented by two
Domenico Sciassia.
Baroque side towers.

KEY
1 14th-century Gothic tower
2 Vault frescoes by Giovanni
Rocco Bertoletti

. Treasury
The treasury is home to
various precious objects,
including a wooden statuette Main
of the Madonna and Child entrance
and an ivory relief, both from
the 14th century.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp295–6 and pp318–20

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