Mariazell Basilica
| Mariazell Basilica | |
|---|---|
Mariazell Basilica | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Basilica |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Mariazell, Austria |
| State | Styria |
| Geographic coordinates | 47°46′22″N 15°19′06″E / 47.7729°N 15.3184°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Domenico Sciassia |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 1644 |
| Completed | 1683 |
Mariazell Basilica, also known as Basilica Mariä Geburt (Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary), is a Roman Catholic church building in Mariazell, Austria. It is the most important Christian pilgrimage destination in Austria and one of the most visited shrines in Europe. In the church, a miraculous wooden image of the Virgin Mary is venerated.
Pope Pius X personally raised the sanctuary to the status of a minor basilica by a Motu proprio on 10 November 1907. Later, he ensured the coronation of the Marian image by a decree on 8 September 1908. Mariazell is the only church named as a national shrine of all German-speaking countries.