Mariapfarr: Pilgrimage, Silent Night and hiking trails

Mariapfarr can be explored through three distinct interests: church history, the creation of the Silent Night song, and outdoor activities in the mountainous landscape of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These topics do not represent the same experience. They range from a pilgrimage tradition and specific museum objects to hiking trails and a starting point for a cycling tour. If you are looking for hotels in Mariapfarr, deciding which of these interests matters most can help you determine the character of your stay: would you like to focus mainly on history, spend time outdoors, or combine both? The museum focuses on people and exhibits, while the outdoors offers the landscape, the theme of the sun, or the starting point for a cycling tour.

Pilgrimage and church history

The Mariapfarr pilgrimage basilica has a centuries-old pilgrimage tradition and is considered an outstanding pilgrimage site. The parish church “Zu unserer Lieben Frau” in Mariapfarr was elevated to basilica status in 2018. An early historical reference dates back to 923: the first documentary mention as the mother church of the Lungau probably refers to the small St. Laurentius Church in Althofen. The two years represent different historical references: 923 for the mention, which probably relates to the church in Althofen, and 2018 for the elevation of the parish church in Mariapfarr. The pilgrimage tradition describes its long-standing significance as a pilgrimage site; the years place individual historical references in context.

Joseph Mohr and historical museum objects

Two rooms in the Parish, Pilgrimage and Silent Night Museum are dedicated to Joseph Mohr. He served as an assistant priest in Mariapfarr from 1815 to 1817 and wrote the lyrics of the Silent Night song there in 1816. The dates mark two closely connected but distinct facts: his service in Mariapfarr from 1815 to 1817, and the creation of the song’s lyrics in 1816. In the same museum, the treasury displays the “little silver altar” from 1443; a large nativity scene from 1750 with around 100 figures is also on display. The museum therefore brings together the personal story of the song and dated historical objects. Comparing the dates makes the gap clear: the “little silver altar” from 1443 predates the nativity scene from 1750; both objects come from an earlier period than Mohr’s time in Mariapfarr. They also offer a contrast between a single, specifically named treasury piece and a large nativity scene with around 100 figures. If you like to orient yourself around concrete objects, these differences offer two clear ways in: through their age and through the type of exhibits.

Hiking, sunshine and cycling

Numerous hiking trails in Mariapfarr invite you to discover the picturesque mountain landscape of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Sun Educational Trail adds a distinct thematic focus: it opened on Friday, 23 June 2006, as Austria’s first educational trail dedicated to the sun. While the hiking trails invite you to discover the mountain landscape, the educational trail explicitly focuses on the sun. You can also start the Lungau Bike Tour in Mariapfarr. This is a different point of reference for planning: the tour starts in Mariapfarr, while the hiking trails provide access to the mountain landscape. When planning your trip, you can choose between the landscape experienced on foot, the educational trail’s focus on the sun, and starting a cycling tour.

Discover more destinations: Bruckdorf, St. Martin, Wölting, Sankt Michael Im Lungau, Sankt Andrä Im Lungau, Hinterweisspriach, Begöriach, Thomatal.

View the main travel overview: Tamsweg.