Pilgrimage at the Jauerling, © Lachlan Blair

Pilgrimage on the Jauerling

The Three Churches Trail connects the three most extraordinary churches in the Nature Park area

The main parish church Weitental (St. Stephen), the pilgrimage church Heiligenblut (St. Andrew) and the pilgrimage church Maria Laach (Assumption of Mary). Away from busy roads, with views over the Weitental, the Jauerlinger Hochland and the southern Waldviertel, the Three Churches Trail is ideal for recharging your batteries. The local gastronomy of the three villages provides for your physical well-being!

  • The main parish church of the Weitental in Weiten was founded as early as 1,000 AD. The church is a fortified church and was surrounded by a fortified wall in the 15th century. The Gothic nave impresses with its original Gothic stained glass windows and the free-standing tower. The churches in Heiligenblut and Maria Laach are filial churches of Weiten.
  • The pilgrimage church of Maria Laach was founded in the 14th century. Today's monumental pseudo-basilica dates back to the 15th century and is one of the best-preserved late Gothic buildings in Austria. The image of grace "Maria Sechsfinger", the Gothic double-winged altar, and the Renaissance tomb of the Kuefsteins are the cultural highlights of the church. From the 17th century onwards, Maria Laach developed into an important place of pilgrimage.
  • The pilgrimage church of St. Andrew in Heiligenblut is the cultural and spiritual heart of the people of Raxendorf. The late Gothic hall church from the 15th century was founded after a miracle of the host in 1411 and is one of the most valuable church buildings in Lower Austria. The Gothic sacrament box, the tower converted to Baroque style, the original chapel, the fine cross and reticulated vaults, and the strikingly steep roof are remarkable.