The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Mariastein, Austria

In 1558, the Augsburg merchant Georg Ilsung decided to remove the Madonna statue from the castle tower and take her to Bavaria. Twice the figure was carried away; twice she returned to Mariastein by unexplained means. The tale spread across Tyrol, and within a generation the little fortress above the Inn Valley had become a sanctuary. Today, Schloss Mariastein rises 42 metres from a rocky outcrop overlooking Austria's smallest municipality. Pilgrims climb 150 steps carved into the stone to reach the Gnadenkapelle, where the Gothic Gnadenmadonna with her Christ child waits beneath an eighteenth-century Rococo altarpiece. In the castle museum beside the tower, the Tyrolean State Insignia—archducal hat and scepter donated by Emperor Maximilian I—remind visitors that this remote pilgrimage site once served as guardian of imperial treasures.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The Masters of Freundsberg built the donjon in 1361 to guard the ancient Roman road leading over the Angathberg to Bavarian Rosenheim. For a century the fortress changed hands—sold to the Bavarian Dukes in 1379, then to Hans Ebbser in 1448, when it became Austrian. The Herren von Ebbs enlarged the tower by two storeys and, in gratitude to heaven, installed a Madonna figure with child: the Gnadenmadonna that pilgrims venerate to this day. The castle's transformation from military outpost to pilgrimage shrine accelerated after Georg Ilsung's reported miracle. In 1587, Baron Karl Schurff zu Schönwörth, Richter of Kufstein, acquired the neglected property and restored it with his wife, Baronin Polyxena Closen-Freyberg von Hohenaschau. Together they established the infrastructure for a flourishing pilgrimage. By the Thirty Years' War, six priests and two hermits were tending the pilgrim throngs. The castle passed through the Counts of Stachelburg, the Crosina family, and finally the Counts Klotz of South Tyrol before facing ruin in the 1830s. Buildings were being demolished when the Archdiocese of Salzburg intervened in 1835, purchasing the property and preserving it for future generations. Archbishop Andreas Rohracher undertook extensive restoration after the Second World War, and Salzburg maintains the shrine to this day.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Mariastein

Schloss Mariastein

Mariastein Castle The medieval Wohnturm rises 42 metres from its rocky perch, its walls 1.75 metres thick. Originally called "Burg auf dem Stayn" (Castle on the Rock), it received its present name after the Marian pilgrimage began in the sixteenth century. The white pilgrimage church at its base dates to around 1360, while residential wings were added in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries as the castle's military purpose faded. Address Mariastein 1, 6324 Mariastein GPS 47.52673, 12.0533 Map Google Maps Web tyrol.tl

Gnadenkapelle Unserer Lieben Frau von Mariastein

Chapel of Grace of Our Lady of Mariastein The upper of two chapels built one above the other within the tower, the Gnadenkapelle houses the Gnadenmadonna beneath an ornate Rococo altarpiece from the eighteenth century. Gothic in origin, the chapel's intimate space rewards pilgrims who have climbed the 150 steps through the tower. The stairway itself bears witness to centuries of devotion: photographs and ex-votos from generations of pilgrims line the walls.

Heiligkreuzkapelle

Chapel of the Holy Cross Below the Gnadenkapelle, the Chapel of the Holy Cross contains a richly decorated Prague Infant Jesus figure. Pilgrims often pause here after their ascent, the lower chapel offering a moment of quiet before descending again into the Tyrolean light.

Schlossmuseum Mariastein

Mariastein Castle Museum Adjacent to the Hotel Mariasteinerhof, the museum displays sacred objects in gold and silver, pilgrimage boards (Wallfahrtstafeln), and musical instruments. The Knight's Hall features intricately carved wooden coffered ceilings. The collection's centrepiece is the Tiroler Landesinsignien—the archducal hat and scepter presented by Emperor Maximilian I around 1600—making this remote tower an unlikely guardian of imperial regalia.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Palm Sunday Harp Meeting

Each year on Palm Sunday, harpists from across Tyrol, South Tyrol, and Bavaria gather at Mariastein for devotion and folk music. The Harfentreffen combines sacred liturgy with the region's distinctive musical heritage, as groups perform in the castle church and surrounding grounds. The event draws both pilgrims and lovers of Alpine tradition.

Feast of the Assumption — August 15

As at Marian shrines throughout the Catholic world, the Solemnity of the Assumption draws pilgrims to Mariastein for special liturgies honoring Mary's bodily assumption into heaven. The feast gains particular resonance here, where the Madonna is said to have returned miraculously to her chapel.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Hotel Mariasteinerhof ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Family-run hotel by the Radinger family since 1878, combining Tyrolean tradition with modern comfort. Wellness facilities include sauna, and the restaurant serves regional cuisine with wines from the castle cellar. Located directly beside the castle museum. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel

🚗 Getting There

By Air: Munich Airport is the nearest major hub, approximately 2 hours 15 minutes by train to Wörgl with a transfer in Kufstein. Innsbruck Airport (Kranebitten) lies 80 kilometres to the southwest. By Train: Wörgl Hauptbahnhof, 4 kilometres from Mariastein, offers connections throughout Austria and to Munich. From Kufstein, trains depart every 30 minutes for the 11-minute journey to Wörgl. Holders of the Hohe Salve Guest Card receive complimentary shuttle service from Wörgl, Kirchbichl, and Hopfgarten stations directly to Mariastein. By Car: Mariastein lies 15 minutes from Kufstein and 5 minutes from Langkampfen. Free parking is available at the pilgrimage church.

📚 Further Reading

Online Resources: Mariastein Castle — Detailed history and visitor information from the official Tyrol tourism portal. (Tyrol.tl) Mariastein, Tyrol — Overview of the municipality and pilgrimage tradition. (Wikipedia)

🔗 Useful Links

Hotel Mariasteinerhof — Official website with guided tour bookings and accommodation. Hohe Salve Tourism — Regional pilgrimage and tourism information. Tyrol Tourism — Official destination page with activities and attractions.

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Kufstein (11.5 km) — The "Pearl of Tyrol" sits beneath its imposing fortress, where the world's largest outdoor organ—the Heldenorgel—sounds daily across the Inn Valley. The parish church of St. Vitus serves the town's Catholic community. Innsbruck (80 km) — Tyrol's capital houses the Hofkirche with its magnificent tomb of Emperor Maximilian I, the Wilten Basilica, and the pilgrimage church of Maria Hilf. The imperial city's sacred treasures merit a full day's exploration.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"The Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the Cross."

— Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, 58