The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Mariastein, Switzerland

Sometime in the late fourteenth century, a farmer's wife rested with her young child in the cool shade of a limestone cave overlooking the Birs Valley. While the mother dozed, the boy wandered to the cliff's edge and tumbled into the void below. She found him unharmed in the valley, smiling. When asked how he survived, the child spoke of a beautiful lady who caught him in her arms. The father built a small chapel in the cave where his son had been saved. Today, pilgrims descend fifty-nine stone steps into that same cave to kneel before the miraculous Madonna who has drawn the faithful to this cliff-face sanctuary for over six centuries. After Einsiedeln, Mariastein is Switzerland's most important place of pilgrimage—a Benedictine abbey that has survived revolutionary suppression, Kulturkampf exile, and Gestapo closure, only to emerge more vibrant, welcoming pilgrims from across Europe and immigrant communities from around the world.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The chapel at Mariastein first appears in historical records in 1434, though the miraculous origins date to the previous century. The legend received dramatic confirmation in 1541 when a nobleman named Hans Thüring von Reichenstein survived an identical fall from the same precipice—a second miracle that revived pilgrimage after the disruptions of the Reformation. Benedictine monks from nearby Beinwil Abbey assumed pastoral care in 1636, and under Abbot Fintan Kiefer, the entire monastic community relocated to Mariastein in 1648. Between 1636 and 1655, they constructed the monastery and church complex that stands today, with the church consecrated on October 31, 1655. The late Gothic three-aisled basilica received baroque interior decoration over the following centuries, while a classicist entrance façade was added between 1830 and 1834. The abbey's modern history reads like a chronicle of persecution and perseverance. French General Balthazar Alexis Henri Schauenburg sacked the monastery in 1798, scattering the monks into exile. They returned in 1802, only to face a more sustained assault during the Kulturkampf—the bitter conflict between church and state that convulsed Swiss Catholicism. A cantonal referendum on October 8, 1874 confirmed the monastery's closure, though two priests remained as state officials to maintain the pilgrimage. The community wandered in exile for nearly seven decades: Delle in France (1874–1902), Dürrnberg near Hallein in Austria (1902–1906), and finally Bregenz (1906–1941). When the Gestapo closed their Austrian refuge in 1941, the Canton of Solothurn granted the monks asylum at their former home—a temporary arrangement that became permanent through legal tenacity and popular devotion. A 1970 referendum reversed the 1874 decision, and on June 21, 1971, Landamman Willi Ritschard formally returned the abbey's legal rights to Abbot Basilius Niederberger. Recognition from Rome bracketed this turbulent century. On July 5, 1926, Pope Pius XI elevated the church to a Minor Basilica, and on the Feast of the Assumption that year, papal nuncio Luigi Maglione crowned the miraculous image on the Pope's behalf. The year 2026 marks the centenary of both honors.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Mariastein

Gnadenkapelle

Chapel of Grace Fifty-nine steps carved into living rock lead pilgrims down into the cliff-face cave where the miraculous rescue occurred. A long whitewashed corridor, its walls covered with thousands of ex-voto tablets in German, French, Italian, and languages from across the world, creates an atmosphere of accumulated gratitude as visitors approach the sacred space. The stone Madonna sits enthroned within the rock itself—a seated figure holding the Christ child on her right arm, her face bearing the gentle expression that has earned her the popular name die lächelnde Madonna, the Smiling Madonna. Her official title is Mother of Consolation (Mutter vom Trost). Six putti bearing candlesticks surround the image. The Madonna and child wear more than twenty different fabric robes and pieces of jewelry donated by grateful pilgrims, changed according to the liturgical calendar. To the left of the image stands the Sacrament altar, carved in 1645 by Solothurn sculptor Heinrich Scharpf. Address Klosterplatz 2, 4115 Mariastein GPS 47.4747, 7.4825 Map Google Maps Web kloster-mariastein.ch

Klosterkirche

Monastery Church Above the cave chapel rises the late Gothic basilica, its three aisles flowing toward a baroque sanctuary that celebrates the triumph of faith over adversity. Ceiling frescoes by Torriani depict the founding miracle—the child's fall and miraculous rescue—alongside Marian scenes. Along the nave, a series of paintings traces the life of Saint Benedict. The wooden pulpit, carved in 1733, features relief images of the apostles. The wrought-iron choir grille, installed in 1695, was a gift from King Louis XIV of France. The high altar, dedicated to Saint Benedict and completed in 1680, rises on twisted Solomonic columns flanked by marble statues, its altarpiece changed seasonally. Two organs serve the liturgy: the main instrument, built in 1978 by Metzler Orgelbau with 38 registers housed in an 1836 case by Burger, and a smaller choir organ built in 2001 by Roman Steiner with 16 registers. Address Klosterplatz 2, 4115 Mariastein GPS 47.4747, 7.4825 Map Google Maps Web kloster-mariastein.ch

Klosteranlage

Monastery Complex The convent building presses against the cliff face on the east side. The church anchors the northern edge. The Glutzbau, containing the Reichenstein Chapel, and the library building with its cloister occupy the southern portions. The open west wing—site of the former cloister—now serves as the monastery gate. Landscape architect Ludwig Stocker redesigned the cloister square in 1997. The entire complex stands under historic protection. The monastery retains its ancient connection to its predecessor: abbots still bear the title Abbot of Beinwil, and the institution is formally known as Beinwil-Mariastein.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Assumption of Mary — August 15

The Solemnity of the Assumption draws the largest crowds to Mariastein, commemorating both a universal Marian feast and the anniversary of the Madonna's papal coronation in 1926. The Benedictine monks celebrate with special solemnity, and pilgrims fill both the basilica and the cave chapel throughout the day.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary — September 8

This Marian feast brings another surge of pilgrims to honor the Mother of Consolation on her birthday. The celebration follows the rhythm of Benedictine liturgy, with the monks chanting the Divine Office five times daily as they have for centuries.

Tamil Pilgrimage — First Weekend of August

One of Mariastein's most distinctive modern traditions, this annual gathering draws Tamil Catholics—and even some Hindu Tamils—from across Switzerland. Old songs and distinctive percussion create a unique atmosphere during the Mass, as this immigrant community has found in the Smiling Madonna a mother who transcends cultural and even religious boundaries.

Filipino Pilgrimage — August

The Filipino Catholic community gathers annually in August, with a choir of children and parents accompanying the Mass. These ethnic pilgrimages demonstrate Mariastein's remarkable capacity to welcome diverse communities without organized promotional campaigns—pilgrims simply find their way to this cave shrine and make it their own.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Klosterhotel Kreuz ⭐⭐⭐ — Former pilgrims' hostel set in parkland a five-minute walk from the abbey. The property offers comfortable rooms with garden or mountain views, a restaurant serving local cuisine, and the peaceful atmosphere appropriate to a monastery setting. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Monastery Guesthouse (monastic accommodation) — Those wishing to experience Benedictine life can request accommodation in the monks' guesthouse. Contact the monastery directly for availability.

🚗 Getting There

By Air: EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg lies approximately 20 km from Mariastein. Bus 50 connects the airport to Basel SBB railway station in 15–20 minutes. By Train & Tram: From Basel, take BLT tram line 10 from Basel Zoo station to Flüh (approximately 25 minutes, departures every 15 minutes). From Flüh, a short walk or connecting bus reaches Klosterplatz. Basel hotel guests receive the BaselCard, providing free public transport throughout the city and region. By Car: Mariastein lies 15 km south of Basel, approximately 18 minutes by car. Free parking is available at the Klosterhotel Kreuz and near the monastery.

📚 Further Reading

Online Resources: Pilgrimage to Mariastein — Swiss Federal Office of Culture documentation of Mariastein as living heritage, including history, ethnic pilgrimages, and cultural significance. (Lebendige Traditionen) On the Pilgrimage Route to Mariastein Monastery — Feature article with interview of Father Ludwig Ziegerer, pilgrimage director, exploring what pilgrimage means today. (Switzerland Tourism)

🔗 Useful Links

Kloster Mariastein — Official monastery website with Mass times, pilgrimage information, events, and accommodation details. Basel Tourism - Mariastein Monastery — Regional tourism information including hiking routes combining pilgrimage with scenic walks.

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Einsiedeln (85 km) — Switzerland's premier pilgrimage site, home to the Black Madonna and over a thousand years of Benedictine spirituality. The Abbey Church of Our Lady of the Hermits draws 175,000 pilgrims annually. Flüeli-Ranft (95 km) — The hermitage of Saint Nicholas of Flüe, Switzerland's patron saint, where the mystic lived in prayer and fasting for twenty years while counseling pilgrims and statesmen.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"Pilgrimage is not something that has to be learned. What it takes is the will to make your way to a certain place on foot and at your own pace."

— Father Ludwig Ziegerer, Pilgrimage Director, Mariastein Monastery