Via Sacra &
Vienna Pilgrimage Trail
Via Sacra and Vienna Pilgrimage Trail
There are two principal trails from Vienna to the “Magna Mater Austriae” in Mariazell: the Via Sacra or The Vienna Pilgrimage Trail. Along the way the pilgrim is rewarded with majestic natural and cultivated landscapes belonging to some of the most beautiful in all of Austria. The trails cover a distance of 120 to 130 kilometers (75-80 miles) in areas away from large tourist destinations. Hikers will travel through countless locations with many cultural treasures until they reach the Mariazell Basilica after a four to five-day hike. Throughout the centuries many “pilgrimage routes” have formed from single paths and roads. The most traditional of the Mariazell pilgrimage routes is the VIA SACRA, starting in Vienna and traversing Hinterbrühl, Heiligenkreuz, Hafnerberg, Kaumberg, Hainfeld, Rohrbach, St. Veit, Lilienfeld, Türnitz, Annaberg, Joachimsberg, Josefsberg and Mitterbach on the way to Mariazell. There are numerous localities along the way that profited from former flourishing pilgrimaging activity and still take care of pilgrims today. The two religious centers are the monasteries Heiligenkreuz and Lilienfeld. Klein-Mariazell was also once among these centers but was closed down in the 18th century. In the meantime it has been revitalized. The Via Sacra has been traveled for more than 800 years by pilgrims from Vienna and also Slavic and Hungarian speaking areas. Not only humble pilgrims but also princes and emperors have moved on the route of the pilgrims and therefore enhanced its significance.
The trailhead of the Vienna Pilgrimage Trail is in Perchtoldsdorf (yellow markers from the parish church) or Vienna-Rodaun (end of Vienna tram line 60). The official VIA SACRA trail markers do not start until Hinterbrühl. It is easy to reach Hinterbrühl by using public transport. (Source: Via Sacra and the Vienna Pilgrimage Trail, edited by Mostviertel Tourismus GmbH, text by Ernst Leitner)
Via Sacra
The Via Sacra is a picture book of Austrian landscape and culture.
Nowadays, the historical route of the “Holy Road” follows the federal highways 11, 18 and 20 at Vienna. Spiritual stations along the way are the monasteries of Heiligenkreuz, Klein-Mariazell and Lilienfeld as well as the pilgrimage church in Annaberg on the first “holy mountain” of the Ötscher region. Among the other sacred objects on the way to Mariazell are the Spinnerin am Kreuz at the southern edge of Vienna, wayside shrines, chapels, and churches of art historical significance.
The Vienna Pilgrimage Trail
The Via Sacra Pilgrimage Trail of today passes through the historical pilgrimage stations while avoiding the main roads between them. Therefore the “Mariazeller Autobus” (from Südtiroler Square in Vienna over the A21 highway to Alland continuing along the Via Sacra, and as of Lilienfeld as express connection to St. Pölten on the Westautobahn) enables individual day hikes along the Via Sacra. The bus schedule is available online at www.postbus.at. The journey is a comfortable low-land hike with many art historical and anthropological stations. Because of the many low lying settlements with overnight accommodations the journey can easily be completed in four to five day stages of 25 to 30 kilometers (15.5 to 18.5 miles.) Departure points are the churches along the way.
The Vienna Pilgrimage Trail came into existence in 1975 with its designation 06 and its yellow trail markers by an initiative of the Austrian Alpine Hiking Society. As far as Kaumberg the trail follows close to the Via Sacra; it then deviates from the Via Sacra and continues on marked trails and by roads through Unterberg, Rohr im Gebirge, and St. Aegyd am Neuwalde. Alternate routes are possible between Maria Raisenmarkt and Unterberg by way of Weissenbach, Furth and Muggendorf. These routes continue past scenic highlights and avoid the demanding climb between Araburg and Kieneck. The Lower Austrian Pilgrimage Trail connects the Via Sacra Trail to the Vienna Pilgrimage Trail via Türnitz and Walster.
Copyright Map: Arge Kartographie
Web
Starting location
Brunn am Gebirge (Via Sacra); Wien-Rodaun/Perchtoldsdorf (Wiener Wallfahrerweg)
Final destination
Mariazell
Path length / km
121 km (Via Sacra); 115 km (Wiener Wallfahrerweg)
