Discover Mariazell: Basilica, Bürgeralpe and trails through the mountain landscape

Mariazell combines sacred culture, regional history and trails into the mountain landscape. The Basilica shapes the town, while the Mariazell Heimathaus offers insights into nature, the past and life in the Mariazell region. There are also hikes with different time frames, as well as specific information on distance and elevation gain and a railway line to Lake Erlaufsee. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Mariazell can therefore easily balance their desired travel rhythm between a cultural programme, a circular hike and experiencing the landscape.

Culture around the Basilica and Heimathaus

The Basilica of Mariazell is an important destination for anyone wishing to discover the pilgrimage town from its religious and artistic perspective. Its central devotional image is a late Romanesque statue of the Mother of God carrying the Child on her right arm. The Chapel of Grace is the sacred centre of the Basilica; the high altar by Fischer von Erlach forms its artistic centre. Thus, two different levels that define the special character of the town can be encountered in one building.

For time planning, it is important to note that the Basilica is open daily from approximately 1 November to 30 April from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and from 1 May to 31 October daily from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The stated periods and the approximate summer opening hours can be incorporated directly into your daily itinerary.

The Natural History Museum in the Mariazell Heimathaus focuses on the diversity of fauna and flora, as well as on the early history of the pilgrimage town and its surroundings. The Heimathaus itself is a 17th-century building that formerly served as a civic hospital. Today, it houses numerous exhibition rooms on various topics relating to the Mariazell region, including a hunting museum and faithfully restored alpine pasture huts and lumberjack huts. This allows a visit to be tailored more towards natural history, historical or regional interests, depending on your preferences.

Hikes with different time frames

The circular hike “Around the Mariazell Bürgeralpe (694 and 692)” starts in Mariazell and leads up to the Mariazell Bürgeralpe. The circular route is 9.0 km long. The complete tour is scheduled to take 3 hours and 45 minutes, with a total elevation gain of 469 metres and an elevation loss of 433 metres. The highest point is at an altitude of 1,266 metres. These details provide a clear basis if you would like to include a longer hiking day in your trip.

There is also a shortest hiking route to the Mariazell Bürgeralpe, which takes about an hour. It leads up the mountain in switchbacks beneath the cable-car supports. This provides different time frames for reaching the same destination: you can choose the longer circular hike with its stated elevation figures or consider the shorter ascent. Which option suits you depends on your planned daily schedule and how much time you would like to leave for further impressions in Mariazell.

The Buschniggweg offers a different landscape experience. It begins at the main square of Mariazell and leads through a forest-surrounded area to the forest promenade. Anyone looking for a route directly from the town will find a trail here that connects the main square with the forest promenade. The Styrian Mariazell Trail, in turn, offers a longer regional perspective: it leads from the wine country of Southern Styria to the alpine mountain world around Mariazell.

Further experiences for planning your trip

The railway line from Mariazell to Lake Erlaufsee also expands the range of possible activities. This route offers rides in faithfully restored carriages. This creates a different accent from the hiking trails and may be interesting for a travel plan in which movement, culture and a special transport experience alternate.

When looking for suitable accommodation, it is worthwhile to determine the focus of your days in advance. Mariazell as a search location is particularly suitable for planning if you would like to combine the Basilica, the Heimathaus and the starting points of the described trails. If, on the other hand, you want to include various places in your orientation, you can also look at Gußwerk, Bruck An Der Mur, Sankt Sebastian, Oberaich, Kapfenberg, Aflenz Kurort or Sankt Jakob-Breitenau.

More about the destination

Relevant information for planning your trip:

Plan Mariazell as a pilgrimage destination.

To the higher-level travel overview: Bruck An Der Mur.