Mariatrost Basilica, Graz, Austria

The Baroque Mariatrost Basilica is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites of Styria in Austria. The pilgrimage church stands prominently on top of the Purberg hill in the northeast of Graz. It can be reached using the 200 or more steps of the Angelus stair. The basilica is classified as a Baroque building. Two front towers and a dome, visible from a great distance, are the characteristic attributes of the church, which is enclosed by two projecting wings of a former monastery once occupied by the Pauline Fathers (1708–86) and later by the Franciscans (1842–1996).

The building was begun in 1714 by Andreas Stengg and his son Johann Georg Stengg and finished in 1724. The pulpit by Veit Königer (1730/1731) is the masterpiece of the furnishings. The frescoes on the ceiling by Lukas von Schram and Johann Baptist Scheidt are of particular importance.

The main altar includes a statue of the Madonna originally created in the Gothic period around 1465, but altered to the Baroque style in 1695 by Bernhard Echter.

References:

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Religious sites in Austria

User Reviews

Srujankumar Howdekar (2 years ago)
Great architecture! Great Paintings on the ceiling! Excellent place on hill top! Very peaceful!

Mohammadreza Kariman (2 years ago)
A Catholic church with beautiful interior. The landscape from the church is also nice. Bear in mind that the church is located on a very steep hill. If you arrive by public transport, you should take a number of steps to get reach the church.

Sidhant Padhi (2 years ago)
Very beautiful church located in the hills of Graz.

Klaus Wanderer (3 years ago)
Imposing cathedral that impresses not only through sheer size but also through the very detailed and ornate baroque interior. Located on a hill and accessible via a flight of a few hundred steps makes the whole experience even greater, you have a nice view from the top as well. The church can easily be reached by the no. 1 bus from the city center and is free to enter. The facade has been fully renovated and at the time of my visit they were putting the finishing touches on revamping works for the interior, it looks amazing.

Erick Garcia (3 years ago)
The church is very pretty, and you can get a nice view from the top...

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Visby Cathedral

Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.

Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.

There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.

Mariatrost Basilica

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