A pilgrimage church (German : Wallfahrtskirche ) is a church to which pilgrimages are regularly made, or a church along a pilgrimage route, like the Way of St. James, that is visited by pilgrims.
Pilgrimage churches are often located by the graves of saints , or hold portraits to which miraculous properties are ascribed or saintly relics that are safeguarded by the church for their veneration. Such relics may include the bones, books or pieces of clothing of the saints, occasionally also fragments of the cross of Jesus , pieces of the crown of thorns , the nails with which he was fixed to the cross and other similar objects. Pilgrimage churches were also built at places where miracles took place.
Churches are listed in alphabetical order of the sites in or near where they are located.
Ardning , Styria : Pilgrimage Church of FrauenbergBad Leonfelden , Upper Austria : Pilgrimage Church of Maria Schutz am BründlBerg bei Rohrbach , Upper Austria : Pilgrimage Church of Maria TrostBergheim near Salzburg : Pilgrimage Church of Maria PlainChristkindl, Upper Austria: Pilgrimage Church of Christkindl Fernitz , Styria : Pilgrimage Church of Maria Trost (Styria)Gaflenz , Upper Austria: St. Sebald am saintnsteinGraz , Styria: Maria Grün, Mariatrost Basilica Gurk, Carinthia, Gurk Cathedral (grave of Saint Hemma of Gurk ) Gutenstein, Lower Austria: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Heiligengrab, Bleiburg, Carinthia Horn, Lower Austria: Maria Dreieichen Kaltenberg , Upper AustriaKaltenbrunn, Tyrol Linz, Upper Austria: Pöstlingberg Maria Dornach (Mitteldorf), Großkirchheim, Carinthia Maria Gail, Villach Maria Hilf ob Guttaring, Carinthia Maria Laach am Jauerling , Lower AustriaMaria Loreto, Saint Andrew i. L., Carinthia Maria Rain, Carinthia St Mary's Church, Maria Saal, Carinthia Maria Schmolln , Upper AustriaPilgrimage Church of Maria Schnee (Maria Luggau), Lesachtal, Carinthia Maria Schnee (at about ten places in Austria and several places in Germany and neighbouring countries) Mariastein , TyrolMaria Taferl (most important pilgrimage site in Lower Austria)Maria Waitschach, Guttaring, Carinthia Mariazell , Styria – which in 2003–2005 was the venue for the Central European Catholics DayMolln, Upper Austria: Pilgrimage Church of Frauenstein Pottenstein: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Trost im Elend Poysdorf, Lower Austria: Maria Bründl Saalfelden, Salzburg: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Kirchenthal Sankt Jakob im Rosental, Carinthia: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Elend St. Wolfgang , Upper AustriaPilgrimage Church of St. Wolfgang ob Grades, Metnitz, Carinthia Schollach , Lower Austria: Maria SteinparzSeggauberg , Styria: Pilgrimage Church on the Frauenberg near LeibnitzSonntagberg , Lower AustriaOur Dear Lady, Hochfeistritz, Eberstein, Carinthia Zistersdorf , Lower Austria: Maria Moos (oldest spring shrine in Lower Austria)Aparecida : great Marian sanctuary
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Trsat, Dalmatia, Croatia: Pilgrimage Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, Cathedral of St Vitus
Chlum Svaté Maří Družec : pilgrimage church of St Mary of the AssumptionBrno -Tuřany: pilgrimage church of Church of the AnnunciationPříbram : Svatá Hora AbbeyLe Puy-en-Velay : pilgrimage church of Notre-Dame du PuyLisieux : sanctuary of saint Teresa of the Child JesusLourdes : site of Marian apparitions with the healing springMarseille : pilgrimage church of Notre-Dame de la Garde Mont St. Michel: St. Michel Paray-le-Monial : sanctuary of saint Margaret Mary Alacoque and the Sacred Heart Paris : Sainte-Chapelle with the Crown of ThornsRonchamp : pilgrimage chapel of Notre Dame du HautAbensberg (Bavaria ): Pilgrimage Church of St Mary of the Assumption in the village of AllersdorfAbtsgmünd : pilgrimage church of the Sacrifice of Mary (Mariä Opferung ) in the village of HohenstadtAldenhoven: chapel of grace, parish church, Marian pilgrimage Altötting : Shrine of Our Lady, Marian pilgrimageAndechs : Pilgrimage Church of St. Nicholas and St. Elizabeth, Maria pilgrimage, eucharistic pilgrimageAmberg : Pilgrimage Church of Our Lady of Perpetual HelpArmsheim (Rheinhessen): former Pilgrimage church of the Precious Blood of ChristBeratzhausen : pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Perpetual HelpBergen bei Neuburg: pilgrimage church of the Holy Cross Berlin-Mariendorf: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Frieden Beselich : Pilgrimage Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual HelpBettbrunn: pilgrimage church of St Salvator Biberbach: St. James the Great, St Lawrence and the Holy Cross - 's Herrgöttle von Biberbach Birenbach : Pilgrimage Church of the Dolorous Mother of GodBirkenstein: pilgrimage chapel of St Mary of the Assumption Blieskastel : Holy Cross Chapel, Madonna with the PfeilenBogen: Bogenberg, St Mary of the Assumption Bonn : KreuzbergkircheBruchhausen (Landkreis Neuwied): Marian pilgrimage church of St. John the Baptist (Zuflucht der Sünder) Bussen (Upper Swabia ): pilgrimage church of St. John the BaptistCologne : Cologne Cathedral - SS. Peter and Mary (Epiphany)Cologne : St. Maria in der Kupfergasse (Black Madonna of Cologne)Dahenfeld: St Remigius' Church Deggendorf : Pilgrimage Church of the Holy Sepulchre Deggingen (Upper Filst valley): Ave Maria (pilgrimage church)Dettelbach : pilgrimage church of Maria im SandDüren : St Anne's Church - veneration of the "head of Anna" - a head relic of the mother of MaryDurmersheim : pilgrimage church of Maria BickesheimEckartshausen (Werneck): pilgrimage church of the Visitation of Mary Eggerode: pilgrimage church of Birth of the Virgin Mary Eibingen : pilgrimage church of St. Hildegard and St. John the Baptisth - burial church of Saint Hildegard and sanctuary for the Eibingen relic treasure.Ellwangen : pilgrimage church of St. Mary of LoretoElmstein : pilgrimage church of the Mother of GodEngelberg: St. Michael over the Main Ettal , (Upper Bavaria ): Pilgrimage Church of St Mary of the AssumptionEttenberg (Marktschellenberg): Pilgrimage Church of the Visitation of Mary Etzelsbach, (Thüringen): Pilgrimage chapel of Etzelsbach Fahrenberg: pilgrimage to the Holy Hill of the Visitation of Mary Freystadt : pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Perpetual HelpFriedberg: pilgrimage church of Herrgottsruh Fuchsmühl : pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Perpetual HelpGößweinstein : Basilica, parish and pilgrimage church of the Holy TrinityGottsbüren (North Hesse ) Haltern-Bergbossendorf: pilgrimage chapel of Saint Anne Hennef-Bödingen: Pilgrimage Church of the Dolorous Mother of God Herzfeld (Lippetal): pilgrimage church of St. Ida Hirschberg an der Bergstraße : pilgrimage church of St. John the BaptistHohenpeißenberg : pilgrimage chapel and church on the Hoher Peißenberg Kälberau: pilgrimage church of Maria zum rauhen Wind Kevelaer : chapel of grace, candle chapel and St Mary's BasilicaKippenheim : pilgrimage chapel of Maria FriedenKlausen (Eifel): pilgrimage church of the Visitation of Mary Kleinenberg near Lichtenau in East Westphalia: pilgrimage chapel Koblenz-Arenberg: pilgrimage church of St. Nicholas with the Reverend Kraus' Assets (Landscape illustrated Bible) Koblenz-Lützel: pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Kößlarn : Marian pilgrimage (Bavaria )Küblingen (Lower Saxony ): Pilgrimage Church of St. Mary Lautenbach: Late Gothic pilgrimage church of Coronation of the Virgin Leipferdingen: pilgrimage church of St. Michael Leverkusen -Alkenrath: Gezelin ChapelLöffingen (Baden-Württemberg ): WitterschneekreuzLudwigshafen am Rhein-Oggersheim: castle and Pilgrimage Church of St Mary of the Assumption (Ludwigshafen) - pilgrimage to the holy house of Loreto, Marche , pilgrimage site for the Electorate of the Palatinate Lünen : St Mary's ChurchMarienberg (Burghausen) Maria Gern (Berchtesgaden): Pilgrimage Church of Maria Gern Mainz-Gonsenheim: Nothelfer Chapel Maria Steinbach: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Steinbach Marienheide : pilgrimage church of the Visitation of MaryMarienthal (Westerwald) Marienweiher (Marktleugast ): pilgrimage basilica the Visitation of Mary Moosbronn : pilgrimage church Our Lady of Perpetual HelpMussenhausen: Our Dear Lady of Mount Carmel Neunburg vorm Wald : Mater Dolorosa (Ortsteil Katzdorf, Oberpfalz)Neuss : Quirinusmünster (1209-1230)Nußdorf am Inn (Bavaria): the Visitation of Mary (Kirchwald) Nothgottes: Abbey Nothgottes near Eibingen im Rheingau, pilgrimage to the Gnadenbild Nothgottes. Oberfell : Pilgrimage Church of Bleidenberg and Pilgerstein, hilltop pilgrimage to Holy Trinity ChurchOttersweier : pilgrimage church of Maria LindenOttobeuren : SS. Alexander and TheodorePfaffen-Schwabenheim : Stiftskirche (Pfaffen-Schwabenheim), pilgrimage to the Maria, Königin des Friedens, um 1750 aus dem Cologneer Karmel St. Maria vom Frieden (Cologne) geschenktPlanegg : Maria Eich ChapelRaitenbuch : St. BlasiusRamsau bei Berchtesgaden : Maria KunterwegRechberg near Schwäbisch Gmünd : St. Maria on the Hohenrechberg Remagen : Apollinaris ChurchRengersbrunn: Statue of the Mother of God Reuth bei Erbendorf : Pilgrimage Church of St Mary of the Assumption in the village of PremenreuthRieste (Lower Saxony ): pilgrimage church of St. John the Baptist on the Lage, pilgrimage to the Lage CrossRütschenhausen : Pilgrimage Church of Maria von der TannRückers, county of Fulda : Roman Catholic Church of St Mary of the AssumptionSaint Salvator (Rauenzell, Bavaria) formerly the oldest pilgrimage of the Diocese of Eichstätt Saint Bartholomew's: by the Königssee lake in Berchtesgaden Land Schönstatt (Vallendar): the Schoenstatt Shrine is an ancient shrine of the Schoenstatt Movement Schongau : pilgrimage church of St Mary of the AssumptionSchwäbisch Gmünd : pilgrimage church of St. SalvatorSchwandorf : Pilgrimage Church of Our Dear Lady of KreuzbergScheßlitz : pilgrimage church of GügelSpaichingen : pilgrimage church on the Dreifaltigkeitsberg Spabrücken : pilgrimage church of the Black Madonna of SoonBad Staffelstein : Pilgrimage Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers Steingaden : pilgrimage church of the Scourged Saviour on the Wies (Wies Church)Steinhausen: pilgrimage church Sulzbach-Rosenberg (Upper Palatinate ): Pilgrimage Church of AnnabergSwisttal -Buschhoven : Marian pilgrimage site with the "Rosa Mystica"Todtmoos (Black Forest ): pilgrimage church of Our Dear Lady of TodtmoosTuntenhausen : Papal Basilica St Mary of the AssumptionUhldingen-Mühlhofen : Pilgrimage Church of BirnauUnterkochen: Marian pilgrimage church of Unterkochen Velbert -Neviges: Pilgrimage Church of Mary, Queen of PeaceVierzehnheiligen: Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers Vilgertshofen : pilgrimage church of the Dolorous Mother of GodVolkach : pilgrimage church of Kirchberg, Maria im Weingarten Waghäusel : Marian pilgrimage churchWaldsassen : Holy Trinity ChurchWalldürn : Pilgrimage Church of the Holy Blood (Blood miracle of Walldürn)Weihenlinden: pilgrimage church of the Holy Trinity Weiler in den Bergen (near Schwäbisch Gmünd): St. Bernhard's on the Bernhardusberg hill Wemding : pilgrimage church of Maria BrünnleinWerl : Pilgrimage basilica - Comforter of the AfflictedOld Pilgrimage Church, Werl Willich -Neersen: Little Jerusalem ChurchBad Wilsnack : St. Nicholas' and the Holy Blood of WilsnackWürzburg : pilgrimage church of the Visitation of Mary Käppele Xanten : pilgrimage church of St. St Mary of the AssumptionZell am Harmersbach : Pilgrimage Church of Maria zu den Ketten in the village of UnterharmersbachZwiefalten : Pilgrimage Church of the Minster of Our Dear LadyShrine of Our Lady of Europe Walsingham : Anglican and Roman Catholic shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham Ireland Knock : Marian pilgrimage chapel of Our Lady Queen of Ireland Station Island, Lough Derg: St. Patrick’s Basilica Bethlehem : Church of the Nativity Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre Amalfi : relics of saint AndrewAssisi : papal basilica of saint FrancisBadia, South Tyrol : Holy Cross ChurchBenevento : relics of saint Bartholomew the Apostle Loreto, Marche : Basilica della Santa Casa with Black MadonnaManoppello : Volto Santo (Holy Face ), i.e. shroud of Jesus or Veil of Veronica Monte Cassino : the first monastery of Benedictine monksOrtona : the relics of saint Thomas the Apostle Padova: sanctuary of saint Anthony Pompei : Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei Re, Piedmont : Madonna del Sangue in the Valle Vigezzo (Vigezzotal)Vatican : Saint Peter's tomb , Holy Lance , grave of John Paul II and many otherspapal basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome : icon of Salus Populi Romani papal basiilica Santa Croce in Gerusalemme : part of True Cross with Titulus Crucis and Holy Nails papal basilica San Giovanni in Laterano: Scala Santa (stairs from the palace of Pilate) basilica minor Santa Prassede : pillar upon which Jesus was flogged Salerno : relics of saint MatthewSavona : Nostra Signora di MisericordiaTirano : Madonna di TiranoTorino: Shroud of Turin in the cathedral Varese : Madonna del MonteVenice : relics of saint MarkVicenza : Madonna del Monte BericoViterbo : Madonna della QuerciaBasilica of the Assumption (Aglona) Gate of Dawn (Vilnius ): Marian sanctuaryDivine Mercy Sanctuary (Vilnius): the first Divine Mercy image Guadalupe: very popular place of Marian apparitions Netherlands Warfhuizen : Our Lady of the Enclosed Garden National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, Philippines: dedicated to Divine Mercy Divine Mercy Shrine (Misamis Oriental): statue of merciful Jesus Poland Góra Świętej Anny : pilgrimage to the Saint Anna (in Śląsk Opolski)Bardo: pilgrimage church of the Visitation of Mary (in Dolny Śląsk) Divine Mercy Sanctuary (Białystok): with the grave of blessed Michał Sopoćko Częstochowa : the most popular (4,000,000 a year) Polish pilgrimage church at Jasna Góra with the miraculous image of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa Gidle near Częstochowa: Marian sanctuaryGietrzwałd (Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship ): Marian pilgrimage in the site of apparitionsGłogowiec and Świnice Warckie: the place of birth and baptism of saint Faustina Kowalska Gniezno Cathedral : with the grave of St. Adalbert of Prague (Św. Wojciech ), a major patron of PolandGostyń in Greater Poland : Marian sanctuary Góra Kalwaria in Mazovia : calvary Kalisz : sanctuary of saint Joseph Kalwaria Pacławska near Przemyśl : calvary Kalwaria Zebrzydowska near Kraków : calvaryKałków-Godów near Kielce : Marian sanctuary Kodeń at the Bug river: Marian sanctuary Kraków : Wawel Cathedral with the grave of queen Jadwiga of Poland (Królowa Jadwiga )Skałka in Kraków: sanctuary of Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów , a major patron of PolandDivine Mercy Sanctuary (Kraków) also known as Łagiewniki: world center of the Divine Mercy with the grave of saint Faustina Kowalska and the most popular version of Divine Mercy image (near by the Center of John Paul II) Ludźmierz : pilgrimage church with the Mother of God as Queen (Gaździna ) of Podhale Licheń Stary near Konin : very popular new Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń in the site of an apparitionŁobżenica-Górka Klasztorna in Krajna : the site of Marian apparitions Niepokalanów in Mazovia : sanctuary of the Immaculata as well as saint Maksymilian KolbePakość near Inowrocław : calvary Piekary Śląskie : the main Marian sanctuary of Górny ŚląskDivine Mercy Sanctuary (Płock): the site of the first apparition of Divine Mercy image to saint Faustina Kowalska Rokitno in Lubusz Voivodeship : Marian sanctuary Skrzatusz near Piła : Marian sanctuaryStudzianna near Radom : Marian sanctuary Święta Lipka (Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship ): pilgrimage to Our Lady of Holy Linden in the site of apparitions Święty Krzyż near Kielce : sanctuary of the Holy Cross, in the past the biggest in Poland Wadowice near Kraków: the place of birth of saint John Paul IIWambierzyce near Kłodzko : Marian pilgrimage and calvaryWarsaw : St. Andrew Bobola sanctuaryTemple of Divine Providence in Warsaw : national sanctuarySt. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Warsaw : the grave of blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko Wejherowo in Kaszuby : calvaryFátima : important Marian pilgrimage siteNazaré: Nossa Senhora da Nazaré (Our Dear Lady of Nazareth ) Šaštín-Stráže: Basilica of the Seven Sorrows of St. Mary, Šaštín Marianka : Church of the Birth of the Virgin MaryTurzovka Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela Switzerland Einsiedeln (Schwyz): Black MadonnaLocarno (Tessin): pilgrimage church of Madonna del Sasso Ziteil (Graubünden): pilgrimage church auf 2,429 m above the sea Luthern Bad (Lucerne): pilgrimage church of Maria-Heilbronn House of the Virgin Mary , near Ephesos