The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Maria Lankowitz, Austria

At the foot of the Stubalpe in western Styria stands Austria's second-largest Marian pilgrimage church. Maria Lankowitz has drawn the faithful since the fifteenth century, when a Gothic statue of the Virgin was credited with miraculous powers. Today Franciscan friars tend the sanctuary, welcoming pilgrims who arrive on foot from Obdach over mountain paths their ancestors have walked since 1690. The church preserves its Gothic miraculous image within a Baroque setting created between 1678 and 1681. Rich furnishings from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries fill the interior, while Italian frescoes by Felix Batazutti adorn the walls. Outside, the Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School graze on summer pastures—a reminder that this corner of Styria has long combined the sacred and the practical.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

Maria Lankowitz first appears in records in 1415, already established as a place of Marian devotion. The Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary that draws pilgrims dates to the fifteenth century; local tradition holds that it has worked miracles since its installation. The church is dedicated to the Visitation of Mary—the feast commemorating Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth after the Annunciation. This dedication reflects the pilgrims' journey to encounter Mary, just as Elizabeth encountered her. Jakob Schmerlaib gave the church its present Baroque appearance between 1678 and 1681. A side chapel was added in 1712, and the high altar with statues of Saints Joachim, Anna, Zacharias, and Elizabeth was installed in 1767. The Franciscan monastery north of the church, built between 1656 and 1665, continues to care for the sanctuary. The most famous foot pilgrimage departs from Obdach, crossing the Stubalpe to Maria Lankowitz—a tradition maintained since 1690 by generations of Styrian faithful.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Maria Lankowitz

Wallfahrtskirche Maria Lankowitz

Pilgrimage Church of the Visitation The Baroque exterior conceals a treasury of sacred art. The Gothic miraculous image of the Virgin presides from the high altar of 1767. Frescoes by the Italian painter Felix Batazutti cover the walls, while side altars and furnishings from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries create an atmosphere of Counter-Reformation splendor. Address Kirchplatz 1, 8512 Maria Lankowitz GPS 47.0631, 15.0628 Map Google Maps Web steiermark.com

Antonius Chapel

The side chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony was added in 1712, expanding the pilgrimage complex. Devotees of the Franciscan saint pray here for lost items and impossible causes.

Treasury

The church treasury displays votive offerings and liturgical objects accumulated over centuries of pilgrimage—tangible evidence of answered prayers and grateful hearts.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Feast of the Visitation — May 31

The titular feast of the church commemorates Mary's visit to Elizabeth. Special Masses and processions honor the mystery that gives the sanctuary its name.

Assumption of Mary — August 15

The great summer feast brings pilgrims from across western Styria, many arriving on foot via traditional routes over the Stubalpe.

🚗 Getting There

By Car: Maria Lankowitz lies near Köflach, approximately 45 kilometers west of Graz. The drive takes about 45 minutes through the gentle hills of western Styria. By Train: Köflach station lies on the regional rail line from Graz. Local buses connect to Maria Lankowitz. On Foot: The traditional pilgrimage from Obdach crosses the Stubalpe on paths used since 1690. The journey offers alpine meadows where Lipizzaner horses graze in summer.

🔗 Useful Links

Steiermark Tourism — Visitor information for Maria Lankowitz and western Styria. (steiermark.com) Franciscan Province of Austria — Information on the Franciscan community at Maria Lankowitz. (franziskaner.at)

🪶 Closing Reflection

"Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." — Luke 1:45, proclaimed at the Visitation