The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Christkindl, Austria

In 1695, Ferdinand Sertl, tower keeper and bandmaster of nearby Steyr, obtained a small wax figure of the Christ Child from the Celestine nuns of the town. Suffering from severe epilepsy, Sertl placed the ten-centimeter figure in the hollow of a spruce tree in a forest clearing called unter Himmel—"under heaven"—and returned several times weekly to pray before it. When his seizures ceased entirely, word spread. Pilgrims began arriving at the tree. Today a baroque masterpiece stands where that spruce once grew. The church Zum Christkindl unterm Himmel rises with twin towers and a high cupola inspired by the Roman Pantheon, its richly gilded interior drawing pilgrims year-round but especially during Advent, when the world-famous Christkindl post office stamps millions of letters with special Christmas postmarks and extraordinary mechanical nativity scenes come to life in the parish house.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The healing of Ferdinand Sertl transformed a forest clearing into Austria's most beloved Christmas pilgrimage. By 1699, a wooden chapel had been erected around the miraculous tree to shelter the growing crowds. But the Abbot of Garsten Abbey, Anselm Angerer, envisioned something grander. In 1702, construction began under Giovanni Battista Carlone, an Italian architect who drew inspiration from Rome's Pantheon for his design. When Carlone died, Jakob Prandtauer—one of Austria's greatest baroque architects, already famous for Melk Abbey—took over the project in 1708. Prandtauer completed the church with his characteristic mastery of light and space, creating an interior where gilded stucco and painted ceilings lift the eye heavenward. Bishop Josef Dominik Graf von Lamberg of Passau consecrated the completed church in 1725. The original spruce trunk was preserved and incorporated into the high altar composition, where it remains today. Above it, in a small shrine atop a globe-shaped tabernacle created in 1760, the wax Christ Child still stands—only ten centimeters tall, holding a cross and crown of thorns. Johann Carl von Reslfeld, court painter of Garsten Abbey and pupil of Johann Carl Loth in Venice, painted the dome fresco depicting the Assumption. His work, created around 1720, ranks among the finest of Austrian baroque ceiling painting. Joseph II's prohibition of pilgrimages abruptly halted devotion to Christkindl. After the dissolution of Garsten Abbey in 1787, the church became an independent parish. The faithful eventually returned, and today the pilgrimage continues unbroken.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Christkindl

Wallfahrtskirche Christkindl

Christkindl Pilgrimage Church Prandtauer's baroque church stands as a jewel of Austrian sacred architecture. Twin towers flank a façade that gives way to a central-plan interior beneath a high cupola. The eye is drawn immediately to the high altar, where the original spruce trunk—now gilded and integrated into the baroque composition—supports a globe-shaped tabernacle. Above it, in a small shrine, the miraculous wax Christ Child stands exactly as Ferdinand Sertl placed it in the forest hollow three centuries ago. Reslfeld's Assumption fresco fills the dome with swirling clouds and ascending figures. Address Christkindlweg 69, 4400 Steyr GPS 48.038275, 14.387475 Map Google Maps Web dioezese-linz.at

Mechanische Krippe von Karl Klauda

Mechanical Nativity by Karl Klauda In the parish house courtyard stands one of Austria's largest preserved mechanical nativity scenes. Karl Klauda, a local craftsman, built this extraordinary work between 1899 and 1939. Nearly 300 figures carved from linden wood populate a biblical landscape that comes alive through an ingenious mechanism of bicycle chains, shafts, and gear wheels. Adam and Eve appear alongside Old Testament patriarchs; the Holy Family receives shepherds while the Magi process with their retinue; scenes of domestic and oriental life unfold as a Bohemian roller organ provides accompaniment. The figures move with an uncanny grace that captivates children and adults alike.

Pöttmesser-Krippe

Pöttmesser Nativity Ferdinand Pöttmesser of South Tyrol created one of the world's largest nativity scenes, now housed alongside Klauda's mechanical masterpiece. Spanning 58 square meters, it contains 778 hand-carved and dressed figures, some reaching 30 centimeters in height. An oriental landscape divides into four sections: the shepherd's field with the Annunciation, the birth of Jesus in a rock grotto, women at a fountain beside a Bedouin market, and the Magi arriving with their elaborate retinue. Josef Seidl of Steyr later added landscape mountains that give the scene dramatic depth.

Christkindl-Postamt

Christkindl Post Office On December 15, 1950, dispatch clerk Johanna Zeilinger opened Austria's special Christmas post office in the sacristan's kitchen and stamped approximately 42,000 letters. The operation quickly outgrew its quarters and moved the following year to the neighboring inn "Zur schönen Aussicht"—now Hotel Christkindlwirt—where it remains in the Post Stube. Today sixteen employees handle some two million letters and cards annually, each receiving a special Christmas postmark (through December 25) or Three Kings postmark (December 26 through January 6). Children worldwide write to Christkindl; all receive replies. Austrian children should enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope; international correspondents need an international reply coupon.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Advent and Christmas Season — Late November through January 6

Christkindl comes fully alive during Advent. The pilgrimage church, nativity exhibitions, and Christkindl shop open from the first Sunday of Advent through Epiphany, with the post office stamping its famous postmarks throughout the season. The mechanical nativities whir into motion, their carved figures processing through biblical landscapes while roller organ music fills the exhibition halls. The atmosphere intensifies as Christmas approaches. On Christmas Eve, the church opens until 2:00 PM for those who wish to venerate the Christ Child before family celebrations. Christmas Day brings pilgrims to pray before the wax figure that healed Ferdinand Sertl. The season extends through the Octave of Christmas and concludes on Epiphany, when the Three Kings postmark makes its final appearances. The Steyr Valley offers additional Advent experiences: steam train rides on the historic Steyr Valley Railway, vintage bus excursions, and the Austrian Christmas Museum in Steyr—the country's first—housing 14,000 decorations dating from 1830.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Hotel & Restaurant Christkindlwirt ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — This family-run hotel stands directly behind the baroque pilgrimage church, operated by the same family for four generations. Thirty rooms and suites feature light wood, warm colors, and views of the surrounding countryside. The wellness area Felsen-Vital-Oase (Rock Vital Oasis), carved from natural rock, offers sauna, steam bath, adventure showers, and relaxation spaces. The restaurant serves regional dishes and Austrian wines, with a rich breakfast buffet until 10:00 AM. A south-facing terrace sits 25 meters high. Free parking for 150 vehicles; shuttle service to Steyr train station and old town available. The Christkindl post office operates within this building each Advent season. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel

🚗 Getting There

By Air: The nearest airport is Linz Airport (LNZ), 26 kilometers from Christkindl. Vienna International Airport offers more international connections; from there, trains reach Steyr via Linz in approximately 2 hours 40 minutes. Salzburg Airport connects via Linz Hauptbahnhof in about 3 hours. By Train: Hourly trains connect Linz Hauptbahnhof to Steyr in 51 minutes (€7–11). From Steyr station, Christkindl lies 3–4 kilometers southwest; taxi, bus, or the hotel shuttle provide the final connection. By Car: From Linz Airport, the drive takes approximately 33 minutes via the A1 motorway toward Steyr. Paid parking is available directly at the church (first hour free), with a free large parking lot nearby.

📚 Further Reading

Books: Weigl, Huberta. Jakob Prandtauer (1660–1726): Baumeister des Barock — Comprehensive two-volume study of the architect who completed Christkindl church after creating Melk Abbey. (German) Online Resources: Pfarre Christkindl — Official parish page with opening hours, contact information, and pilgrimage details. (Diocese of Linz) Steyr Tourism: Christkindl — Visitor information including nativity exhibitions, post office, and Advent events. (Steyr Tourism)

🔗 Useful Links

Diocese of Linz: Christkindl Parish — Official diocesan page with Mass times, parish office hours, and pilgrimage information. Steyr Tourism — Regional tourism guide with information on the thousand-year-old town, Austrian Christmas Museum, and Advent events.

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Sonntagberg (50 km) — Austria's premier Trinity pilgrimage, where Jakob Prandtauer also designed the magnificent baroque basilica crowning a 712-meter peak. The Holy Trinity has been venerated here since the 15th century. Steyr Old Town (3 km) — The thousand-year-old town preserves Gothic and baroque architecture in one of Austria's most romantic historic centers. The Austrian Christmas Museum, the country's first, houses 14,000 Christmas decorations dating from 1830 in a former hospital building.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"Why does the Christmas crèche arouse such wonder and move us so deeply? First, because it shows God's tender love: the Creator of the universe lowered himself to take up our littleness."

— Pope Francis, Admirabile signum, December 1, 2019