The basilica of Mariazell in Austria. The church is dedicated to the nativity of Mary and is a famous place of pilgrimage.
The first church of Mariazell was romanesque and built in about 1200 by Duke Henry of Mahren, after he and his wife were miraculously healed at the site. In 1340 it was replaced by a large gothic church, built by King Louis I of Hungary. The building underwent a third transformation between 1644 and 1704, when a magnificent baroque church was constructed. It was designed by the architect Domenico Sciassia. The new church has no less than fourteen side chapels.
The basilica is regarded as one of Austria's most outstanding religious buildings. The characteristic façade is dominated by three towers: the middle one is a remainder of the gothic church and the two outer ones are baroque. It also has an oval shaped dome. In 1907 the church became a Basilica Minor. Since then it is known as the Basilica and Church of Grace of Mary's Nativity.
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