MARIAZELL

Mariazell,

 Styria, town in the district of Bruck an der Mur, Austria, place of pilgrimage, tourist resort and winter sports resort situated on a hill on the upper reaches of the River Salza, near the Lower Austrian border and Lake Erlaufsee.

Mariazell started as a settlement set up beside a small monastery (Latin "cella") which was founded

by Benedictine monks of the monastery of St. Lambrecht

in the middle of the 12^th century (probably in 1157).

It is said that the area was dedicated to a monastery

in 1103.

The monk Magnus was looking for a place to build his monastery and found his way blocked by a huge boulder. He set a wooden statue of Mother Mary on the boulder,and  prayed. Soon there was a great rumble

and the rock split in two, allowing him to pass through.

Magnus placed the statue reverently on a white branch and soon after, he and some of the local people built a small chapel to house the statue. Word of the miraculous statue of the Virgin quickly spread across the countryside, and the chapel had to be periodically expanded to accommodate the growing crowds.

Around 1480 pilgrims from16 different countries came

to Mariazell. The majority of pilgrims who visited Mariazell came from the Habsburg lands and the regions of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy...

The Mariazell region, it is the magic and tranquility of Advent that rise to the occassion for weekends in December with authentic Christmas customs.

Let's go to Mariazell.  Bring money with you for the outdoor shops in front of the Church. You can find yourself in colorful swirl, where the common effect  of sounds, scents, view takes people to a glorious heaven.