Kleinmariazell Explained

Kleinmariazell is a district of Altenmarkt an der Triesting in the Wienerwald, Lower Austria, Austria.

Geography

Kleinmariazell is located north of Altenmarkt in a side valley of the Triesting in the direction of Klausen-Leopoldsdorf.The cloister lies on an old pilgrim's trail, the Via Sacra from Vienna to Mariazell.

The community, as well as the cloister, is described and referred to as Mariazell in Austria (as opposed to Mariazell in Styria), Klein-Mariazell Monastery, or Klein-Mariazell Abbey. Aside from a few houses on the street and an inn, it is made up exclusively of the historic cloister buildings.

History

History of Kleinmariazell:

• 1134 or 1136: The church and monastery were founded by Heinrich and Rapoto of Schwarzburg-Nöstach as well as the Babenberg Margrave Leopold III the Holy of Austria as Cella Sancte Marie, a Benedictine monastery.
• 1782: The monastery was dissolved in the course of the Josphine Reforms and felt into decay.
• 1825: The monastery and its lands were put up for auction. Many owners followed, and the monastery was turned into a palace. The former monastery church became the local parish church.
• 1998: After a general renovation by the Archdiocese of Vienna with public and private support, the church was returned its original purpose.
• 2005: Near the church complex an apartment annex was built to hold, among others, 8 priests.

The current group of buildings follows the modern ideas of restoration and monument protection. The names of Christoph Cardinal Schönborn and Deacon Franz Eckert are closely connected with the building.

Frescoes

During 1764 - 1765, Johann Baptist Wenzel Bergl painted numerous frescoes in the basilica.

Frescoes on walls of the church

External links

• Kleinmariazell