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Basilika
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Sights
Basilika
CHURCH
(Kardinal Eugen Tisserant Platz 1; 7am-8pm)
Originally Romanesque, Mariazell's basilica un-
derwent a Gothic conversion in the 14th century, followed by a massive baroque facelift
in the 17th century. The result is a strange clash of styles, with the original Gothic steeple
bursting like a wayward skeletal limb from between two baroque onion domes. Inside,
Gothic ribbing combines with baroque frescoes and lavish stuccowork, while in the upper
galleries there's a quite interesting
Schatzkammer
(Treasury; adult/child €4/1;
10am-3pm Tue-Sat,
11am-3pm Sun May-Oct)
.
Unusually, the church is centred on a small but exquisite chapel, known as the
Gnaden-
kapelle
(Chapel of Grace). This gold and silver edifice houses the Romanesque statue of
the Madonna, whose healing powers reputedly helped King Louis of Hungary defeat the
Turks in 1377. Except for two days each year, she's dressed up rather doll-like in her
Liebfrauenkleid
(dress of Our Lady). Both Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and his
son Josef Emmanuel had a hand in the baroque interior features; the crucifixion group
sculpture (1715) on the high altar is by Lorenzo Mattielli. The Schatzkammer contains
votive offerings spanning six centuries, mainly naive-style paintings.
