Christkindl Pilgrimage Church

The church is the centre of the world-famous pilgrimage site Christkindl!

The church, built by Giovanni B. Carlone and Jakob Prandtauer, was consecrated in 1725. The shrine above the globe-shaped tabernacle houses is a ten centimetre tall wax baby Jesus statue.

The history
As legend has it, Ferdinand Sertl who suffered from epilepsy visited the area in the winter of 1691, carrying a small statue of the Christ Child. He placed the statue in a niche he had cut in a pine tree and prayed for relief from his illness. His health did improve and local people hearing of his "miraculous cure" visited the area and soon it became a seasonal center for pilgrims. In 1708, Abbot Anselm Angerer had the pilgrimage church you see today erected at the site. The original pine tree trunk can still be seen in the altar.

Today, the place is world famous for its purpose-built temporary Christmas post office that opens its door every year by late November and answers innumerable letters from children. A perfect way to get in the right mood for Christmas is to admire the elaborate mechanical Steyr Crèche and the elaborate Pöttmesser Crib.