Mariazell - a pilgrimage of a different kind
Despite the tight corset we had not chosen the shortest or easiest way to Linz, but a scenic route with a stopover in Mariazell - not because we were so especially Catholic, but rather to make a pilgrimage through Matthias’ childhood and family. We started in Trofaiach with a delicious dinner with uncle Horst and aunt Christa and a visit to Matthias’s grandmother. We went on to the Mürztal valley for a wonderful family apricot dumpling meal with Matthias uncle, aunt, her children and grandchildren. Matthias reminisced about children’s cycling days with grandma in Mitterndorf and civil service in Leoben; Nina was surprised by the beauty of the Mürztal cycle path.
Only the weather wanted to remind us that on a pilgrimage you also have to buzz: twice we were hit by a heavy rain storm. The second time we also had our first and only problem with Düsi until later on. A carport (for the repair) and the nearest pension (for the night) were our salvation. Sometimes one is happy about a dry small single room for two more than on other days about a luxury suite … Another rain shower we sat out in the outside inconspicuous and inside comfortably elegant former train station and now restaurant in Kapellen.
Mariazell is a challenge for cyclists coming from any direction, as it is situated at 868 m and therefore always requires several hours of cycling uphill. However, the landscape is very attractive with mountain scenery, forests and streams. Most avalanche barriers have to be bypassed by cyclists - so we could enjoy nature. The names of the tunnels such as “Friedhof Lahn” or “Totes Weib” are not very trustworthy for us but rather disturbing - although we can particularly recommend the latter bypass, as you will be rewarded with a great waterfall.
In Mariazell we were welcomed by a concert of the local brass music … hmm not arranged for us, but for one of the musicians for his birthday ;-) … it was nice nevertheless. Afterwards we were allowed to visit the church in peace and alone. Here we experienced the nicest ejection we had ever experienced: “I’m closing the back now, but at the side entrance in front on the right you can always go out and take as much time as you like to visit”. We gladly followed this invitation and, reading the founding history, learned how Mariazell got its name: “In 1157 the monk Magnus came to the Zellertal with his statue of the Virgin Mary carved out of limewood and built the first chapel around the statue standing on a tree stump around which the later village grew up. Legend has it that the chapel had previously divided a rock that blocked the way. From ‘Maria in der Zelle’ came the name Mariazell. “ (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariazell#Geschichte)
