Three-Church Route: Heiligenblut - Maria Laach

Description

The small hamlet Heiligenblut, with its pilgrimage church of St. Andreas, is the heart of the Raxendorf market community. The late Gothic hall church from the 15th century was founded in 1411 according to legend after a host miracle. Remarkable are the baroque tower with the blue clocks, the freestanding original chapel, the fine cross- and net-ribbed vaults, and the strikingly steep roof. In the late Gothic choir is the famous stone tabernacle elaborately decorated with filigree tracery, eight meters high. The actual heart of the church, the Gothic altar - the Roggendorfer altar - is located in Belvedere Palace in Vienna.

Maria Laach is overshadowed by its pilgrimage church of the Visitation of Mary. The monumental stepped hall building from the 15th century is one of the most valuable late Gothic buildings in Austria. The church is one of the rare cases that was not baroque-styled and was able to preserve its Gothic furnishings. 1680 was the third great plague year of that century; the entire southern Waldviertel made a vow to make a pilgrimage to Maria Laach every year. After the miraculous healing of a blind child in 1719, the number of pilgrims increased. The painting "Maria Six-Finger", the Gothic double-winged altar, and the Renaissance tomb monument of the noble Hans Georg v. Kufstein from 1607 are the most valuable artifacts of the church.

Starting point of the tour

Heiligenblut, pilgrimage church

Destination point of the tour

Maria Laach, market square

Route description Three-Church Route: Heiligenblut - Maria Laach

We start at the pilgrimage church of St. Andreas, cross the main road and then cross the stream. At the last house of the local association, we continue straight ahead. To the right, the Three-Church Route leads to Weiten. Through switchbacks uphill, we reach the last house above Heiligenblut with a beautiful view over the pilgrimage church. Now we enter the forest. On forest paths, it goes steadily uphill to the crossroads and the wayside shrine "Nonnersdorfer Kreuz", which is located to the left of the crossing – to the right, the Three-Church Route leads to Weiten and the original parish of St. Stephanus. We turn left towards Maria Laach and after almost 100 m turn right. On quiet paths and trails, we now pass through the Jauerling Forest to the high plateau above Maria Laach before the hamlet of Weinberg. We reach an asphalt road. We follow this downhill and reach Maria Laach. At the first possibility, we turn left and then right again and arrive at the pilgrimage church of the Visitation of Mary.