Please welcome guest blogger Eleanor from Theearthssharpedge.blogspot.com
There are small towns everywhere in the world. Little villages and suburbs, names on a map so small we can barely read them. Austria is full of small towns and villages. They are scattered throughout the Alps, hidden in valleys or in the middle of farm lands. Mariazell, while unknown to most outside of Europe, is one of the most famous small towns in all of Austria and one of the most important pilgrimage sights in all of Europe.
While teaching in Hungary I was approached by a colleague who asked if I would like to take a weekend trip to Mariazell in Austria. I quickly accepted, not wanting to miss any opportunities to travel, but I had never heard of Mariazell. I quickly looked up the town online and found very little information and a very minute name on the map.
Mariazell is a dream. It is traditional, not too small and perched high in the Styrian Alps north of Graz and southwest of Vienna. It is able to take advantage of all of the seasons. There is tremendous skiing in the winter, gorgeous hiking in the summer and peace and tranquility all year long.
The Mariazell Basilica is the main attraction and catholics from around Europe, including the pope himself have come for over 800 years to see the Magna Mater Austria, a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. Two Baroque towers flank a traditional gothic spire, making it one of the most unique Basilicas in Austria.
But there is much more to see. There is shop after shop supplying traditional products and crafts of the region, soaps, baskets, clothing and food using local ingredients like clover honey and lily of the valley There are outdoor cafes and restaurants serving scrumptious pastries and coffee and if you are lucky enough to be there on a holiday or a Sunday you can listen to the church bells and watch the locals dressed in their Drindl and Lederhosen, playing instruments and enjoying the breathtaking views of the mountains.
