Mariazeller Basilica

Mariazeller Basilica Review

The impressive Mariazeller Basilica stands resolutely over the town square. The present structure replaced the original church during the 14th century and was itself enlarged in the late 17th century by the Italian architect Domenico Sciassia. Its exterior is unusual, with the original Gothic spire and porch flanked by squat, bulbous Baroque towers. Step inside to see the elaborate plasterwork and paintings. In the Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of Miracles), the nave holds the main object of pilgrimage: the 12th-century statue of the Virgin of Mariazell. It stands under a silver baldachin (canopy) designed in 1727 by the younger Fischer von Erlach and behind a silver grille donated by Empress Maria Theresa, who took her first communion here. Don't miss the Schatzkammer (treasury) for its collection of votive offerings from medieval times to the present.