Mariazell

Discover Mariazell, a charming town in Styria, known for its rich history, beautiful basilica, and unique local attractions. You can reach Mariazell by bus from Vienna’s main train station or with the Lower Austria Card for 40 euros, which includes a scenic train ride from Sankt Pölten and a cable car trip.

Discover Mariazell

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Travel Tip: You can get to Mariazell in two ways. Firstly, by bus, which leaves directly from Vienna’s main train station. By leaving in the morning, you will have plenty of time to explore. Alternatively, and highly recommended, is to buy the Lower Austria Card for 40 euros. With this card, you can travel to Mariazell from Sankt Polten by the iconic train. Moreover, once in Mariazell, you can take the cable car up to the top—all included in the same card!

https://www.niederoesterreich-card.at/

Mariazell is a charming small town in Styria with only 3,700 people. With nearby areas, it covers 414 km², making it the third-largest municipality in Austria. The Mariazell Basilica, housing a special statue of the Virgin Mary, is Austria’s top pilgrimage spot.

Mariazell has a unique vibe, not just because it’s holy. The town has one of the highest numbers of cloudy days in Austria. In summer, temperatures are around 21°C, and snow covers the streets for up to 130 days each year, perfect for winter sports.

What to do:

Take a ride on a historic tram to the lake

The tram usually starts every hour during the season, between 10:10 and 17:45, at 10:10, 11:10, 12:10, 13:10, 14:45, 15:45, and 17:45 from Bundessstrass. The trip to the lake takes about 20 minutes. If you’re planning a return trip, it’s worth buying a ticket right away as it’s cheaper. The standard ticket costs around 10 euros one way.

Additionally, as part of the tram trip, a short boat trip on the lake is highly recommended. The price is around 10 euros for a 25-minute cruise. However, these cruises only take place on weekends, and their start times are adapted to the tramway’s schedule.

Be sure to check it before: https://museumstramway.at

Local Museum

For those interested in local nature and history, it is worth visiting a museum where you can learn about all these aspects. Additionally, the location of this museum is unique as it is situated in the old municipal hospital. The museum can only be visited on guided tours from July at 2 p.m. for €7, or on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. Furthermore, the Natural History Museum is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and can be visited without a guide.
Check for updates: https://www.mariazeller-heimathaus.at/

erLEBZELTEREI Pirker

Mariazell is famous for its gingerbread, alcoholic liquor, and herbs. Gingerbread is a must-try, and you can also visit places to learn more about its production. However, opinions about this experience are divided; some people leave delighted, while others find it unnecessary. Additionally, the shows are only in English, and the hours are irregular.

Basilica Museum

Inside the church is a small museum displaying collections related to the basilica. It is quite an interesting experience as you walk along one of the upper floors of the church and admire the paintings and votive offerings. It is worth considering, as it is the only national sanctuary in a German-speaking country, and an opportunity of this scale may not be repeated.

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Rich History

Mariazell’s history dates back to before the Romans. Around 200 BC, Celtic tribes formed the kingdom of Noricum. By the 4th century BC, Noricum became part of the Roman Empire. In the 1st century AD, Emperor Claudius made it a Roman province.

After the Romans left around the 5th century AD, many groups ruled the area, including the Huns, Germans, Ostrogoths, Slavs, Bavarians, and Charlemagne.

Modern settlement in Mariazell started in the Middle Ages. In 1157, a monk named Magnus arrived with a statue of the Virgin Mary and built a chapel. In 1344, this place became a market and a church. Over the following centuries, the Turks destroyed Mariazell several times.

In 1679, Emperor Leopold I visited Mariazell, bringing a plague that killed 156 people. A hundred years later, Joseph II banned pilgrimages during the Enlightenment. The town burned down in 1827 but soon rebuilt. By 1896, they finished a pipeline, and in 1907, a train line. In 1928, Mariazell had one of Austria’s first cable cars.

Mariazell Basilica

The most important building in Mariazell is the Basilica. Pilgrims have visited since the 12th century to seek redemption for their sins. Initially, in 1200, they replaced the wooden cell with a stone Romanesque church. Furthermore, the 14th-century tower still stands at 90 meters high. Later, in the 17th century, the church received a Baroque look. Notably, statues of Hungarian King Louis I and Moravian ruler Henry guard the entrance. Additionally, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach designed the main altar. Inside the basilica, the Chapel of Mercy stands where the original cell was. Moreover, there’s a miraculous painting and a statue from the 13th century.

Imperial Church

After the religious wars, the Habsburgs chose Mariazell as their imperial church. This choice was perfect because Protestants rejected the veneration of the Virgin Mary. During the Enlightenment, Joseph II dissolved all religious associations in Mariazell and banned pilgrimages in 1787. When this ban lifted, Mariazell quickly regained its popularity. To make access easier, they built a railway. Nowadays, about a million people visit Mariazell each year.

Legend of Magnus

According to legend, a monk named Magnus arrived in Mariazell and encountered a large stone blocking his path. Unable to pass, he placed a statue of the Virgin Mary on the rock, causing it to crack and clear the way. Believing he had witnessed a miracle, Magnus settled nearby, placed the statue on a tree stump, and built a wooden cell that served as his home and a chapel. This is where the name Mariazell comes from, referring to the “cell of Mary.”

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