Pilgrimage church

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.

The Calvary Church in Bonn with its holy stairway

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.

List of Roman Catholic pilgrimage churches

Churches are listed in alphabetical order of the sites in or near where they are located.

Austria

Andenken an Birkenstein postcard. University of Dayton Libraries.

Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary in Mariazell

Ardning, Styria: Pilgrimage Church of Frauenberg
Bad Leonfelden, Upper Austria: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Schutz am Bründl
Berg bei Rohrbach, Upper Austria: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Trost
Bergheim near Salzburg: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Plain
Christkindl, Upper Austria: Pilgrimage Church of Christkindl
Fernitz, Styria: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Trost (Styria)
Gaflenz, Upper Austria: St. Sebald am saintnstein
Graz, 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 Austria
Kaltenbrunn, Tyrol
Linz, Upper Austria: Pöstlingberg
Maria Dornach (Mitteldorf), Großkirchheim, Carinthia
Maria Gail, Villach
Maria Hilf ob Guttaring, Carinthia
Maria Laach am Jauerling, Lower Austria
Maria Loreto, Saint Andrew i. L., Carinthia
Maria Rain, Carinthia
St Mary's Church, Maria Saal, Carinthia
Maria Schmolln, Upper Austria
Pilgrimage 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, Tyrol
Maria 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 Day
Molln, 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 Austria
Pilgrimage Church of St. Wolfgang ob Grades, Metnitz, Carinthia
Schollach, Lower Austria: Maria Steinparz
Seggauberg, Styria: Pilgrimage Church on the Frauenberg near Leibnitz
Sonntagberg, Lower Austria
Our Dear Lady, Hochfeistritz, Eberstein, Carinthia
Zistersdorf, Lower Austria: Maria Moos (oldest spring shrine in Lower Austria)
Sanctuary of the Christkindl Church, Steyr

Brazil

Aparecida: great Marian sanctuary

Croatia

Mariatrost Basilica in Graz
Trsat, Dalmatia, Croatia: Pilgrimage Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, Cathedral of St Vitus

Czech Republic

Chlum Svaté Maří
Družec: pilgrimage church of St Mary of the Assumption
Brno-Tuřany: pilgrimage church of Church of the Annunciation
Příbram: Svatá Hora Abbey

France

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes

Eschau: St Trophimus' Church with the relics of Sophia the Martyr and her daughters Faith, Hope and Charity
Haguenau: Basilica of Our Lady of Marienthal
Le Puy-en-Velay: pilgrimage church of Notre-Dame du Puy
Lisieux: sanctuary of saint Teresa of the Child Jesus
Lourdes: site of Marian apparitions with the healing spring
Neuwiller-lès-Saverne: Église Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul, with the relics of local saint Adelphus
Marseille: 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 Thorns
Ronchamp: pilgrimage chapel of Notre Dame du Haut

Germany

Vierzehnheiligen

Pilgrimage church of St. John the Baptist (Bussen)

Abensberg (Bavaria): Pilgrimage Church of St Mary of the Assumption in the village of Allersdorf
Abtsgmünd: pilgrimage church of the Sacrifice of Mary (Mariä Opferung) in the village of Hohenstadt
Aldenhoven: chapel of grace, parish church, Marian pilgrimage
Altötting: Shrine of Our Lady, Marian pilgrimage
Andechs: Pilgrimage Church of St. Nicholas and St. Elizabeth, Maria pilgrimage, eucharistic pilgrimage
Amberg: Pilgrimage Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Armsheim (Rheinhessen): former Pilgrimage church of the Precious Blood of Christ
Beratzhausen: pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Bergen bei Neuburg: pilgrimage church of the Holy Cross
Berlin-Mariendorf: Pilgrimage Church of Maria Frieden
Beselich: Pilgrimage Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Bettbrunn: 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 God
Birkenstein: pilgrimage chapel of St Mary of the Assumption
Blieskastel: Holy Cross Chapel, Madonna with the Pfeilen
Bogen: Bogenberg, St Mary of the Assumption
Bonn: Kreuzbergkirche
Bruchhausen (Landkreis Neuwied): Marian pilgrimage church of St. John the Baptist (Zuflucht der Sünder)
Bussen (Upper Swabia): pilgrimage church of St. John the Baptist
Cologne: 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 Sand
Dießen am Ammersee: Marienmünster church in the district of Landsberg am Lech in Bavaria
Düren: St Anne's Church - veneration of the "head of Anna" - a head relic of the mother of Mary
Durmersheim: pilgrimage church of Maria Bickesheim
Eckartshausen (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 Loreto

Neviges pilgrimage cathedral

Elmstein: pilgrimage church of the Mother of God
Engelberg: St. Michael over the Main
Ettal, (Upper Bavaria): Pilgrimage Church of St Mary of the Assumption
Ettenberg (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 Help
Friedberg: pilgrimage church of Herrgottsruh
Fuchsmühl: pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
[[Fürstenfeldbruck: Fürstenfeld Abbey dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mariä Himmelfahrt) in Bavaria
Gößweinstein: Basilica, pilgrimage church and basilica of the Holy Trinity (Heilige Dreifaltigkeit)
Gottsbüren (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 Baptist
Hohenpeißenberg: 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 Basilica
Kippenheim: pilgrimage chapel of Maria Frieden
Klausen (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 Chapel
Löffingen (Baden-Württemberg): Witterschneekreuz
Ludwigshafen 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 Church
Marienberg (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 Mary
Marienthal (Westerwald)
Marienweiher (Marktleugast): pilgrimage basilica the Visitation of Mary
Moosbronn: pilgrimage church Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Mussenhausen: 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 Church
Ottersweier: pilgrimage church of Maria Linden
Ottobeuren: SS. Alexander and Theodore
Pfaffen-Schwabenheim: Stiftskirche (Pfaffen-Schwabenheim), pilgrimage to the Maria, Königin des Friedens, um 1750 aus dem Cologneer Karmel St. Maria vom Frieden (Cologne) geschenkt
Planegg: Maria Eich Chapel
Raitenbuch: St. Blasius
Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden: Maria Kunterweg

The Apollinaris Church in Remagen

Rechberg near Schwäbisch Gmünd: St. Maria on the Hohenrechberg
Regensburg: Alten Kapelle or Basilica of the Nativity of Our Lady Regensburg (Kollegiatstift unserer Lieben Frau zur alten Kapelle) in Regensburg in Bavaria
Remagen: Apollinaris Church
Rengersbrunn: Statue of the Mother of God
Reuth bei Erbendorf: Pilgrimage Church of St Mary of the Assumption in the village of Premenreuth
Rieste (Lower Saxony): pilgrimage church of St. John the Baptist on the Lage, pilgrimage to the Lage Cross
Rohr: Braunau in Rohr Abbey dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mariä Himmelfahrt) in Niederbayern in Bavaria
Rütschenhausen: Pilgrimage Church of Maria von der Tann
Rückers, county of Fulda: Roman Catholic Church of St Mary of the Assumption
Saint Salvator (Rauenzell, Bavaria) formerly the oldest pilgrimage of the Diocese of Eichstätt
Saint Bartholomew's: by the Königssee lake in Berchtesgaden Land
Sandizell: St. Peter Church or Asamkirche Sandizell in Schrobenhausen in Bavaria
Schmidmuehlen: Pilgrimage church of the Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit auf dem Kreuzberg
Schönstatt (Vallendar): the Schoenstatt Shrine is an ancient shrine of the Schoenstatt Movement
Schongau: pilgrimage church of St Mary of the Assumption
Schwäbisch Gmünd: pilgrimage church of St. Salvator
Schwandorf: Pilgrimage Church of Our Dear Lady of Kreuzberg
Scheßlitz: pilgrimage church of Gügel
Spaichingen: pilgrimage church on the Dreifaltigkeitsberg
Spabrücken: pilgrimage church of the Black Madonna of Soon
Bad Staffelstein: Pilgrimage Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
Steingaden: Steingaden Abbey in Bavaria, Germany
Steinhausen: Steinhausen pilgrimage church
Sulzbach-Rosenberg (Upper Palatinate): Pilgrimage Church of Annaberg
Swisttal-Buschhoven: Marian pilgrimage site with the "Rosa Mystica"
Todtmoos (Black Forest): pilgrimage church of Our Dear Lady of Todtmoos

The Pilgrimage Church of Birnau by Lake Constance

Tuntenhausen: Papal Basilica St Mary of the Assumption
Uhldingen-Mühlhofen: Pilgrimage Church of Birnau
Unterkochen: Marian pilgrimage church of Unterkochen
Velbert-Neviges: Pilgrimage Church of Mary, Queen of Peace
Vierzehnheiligen: Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
Vilgertshofen: pilgrimage church of the Dolorous Mother of God
Volkach: pilgrimage church of Kirchberg, Maria im Weingarten
Waghäusel: Marian pilgrimage church
Waldsassen: Holy Trinity Church
Walldürn: 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
Weingarten: Weingarten Abbey or St. Martin’s Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on the Martinsberg near Ravensburg at Baden-Württemberg
Weltenburg: Weltenburg Abbey near Kelheim in Bavaria
Wemding: pilgrimage church of Maria Brünnlein
Werl: Pilgrimage Basilica, dedicated to the Visitation
- Old Pilgrimage Church, dedicated to Mary
Wieskirche: Pilgrimage Church of the Scourged Saviour on the Wies in Steingaden in Bavaria designed by the brothers Johann Baptist and Domenikus Zimmermann
Willich-Neersen: Little Jerusalem Church
Bad Wilsnack: St. Nicholas' and the Holy Blood of Wilsnack
Würzburg: pilgrimage church of the Visitation of Mary Käppele
Xanten: pilgrimage church of St. St Mary of the Assumption
Zell am Harmersbach: Pilgrimage Church of Maria zu den Ketten in the village of Unterharmersbach
Zwiefalten: Pilgrimage Church of the Minster of Our Dear Lady

Gibraltar

Shrine of Our Lady of Europe

Great Britain

Walsingham: Anglican and Roman Catholic shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

Palestinian Christian Scouts outside the Church of the Nativity, Palestine

Holy Land

Bethlehem: Church of the Nativity
Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Jericho: Mount of Temptation
Nazareth: Basilica of the Annunciation
Sea of Galilee: Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter (also known as the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes)
Mount Carmel: Stella Maris Monastery (also known as the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel)

Ireland

Knock: Marian pilgrimage chapel of Our Lady Queen of Ireland
Station Island, Lough Derg: St. Patrick’s Basilica

Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome

Italy

Amalfi: relics of saint Andrew
Assisi: papal basilica of saint Francis
Badia, South Tyrol: Holy Cross Church
Benevento: relics of saint Bartholomew the Apostle
Loreto, Marche: Basilica della Santa Casa with Black Madonna
Manoppello: Volto Santo (Holy Face), i.e. shroud of Jesus or Veil of Veronica
Monte Cassino: the first monastery of Benedictine monks
Ortona: 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 others
papal basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome: icon of Salus Populi Romani
papal basilica 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 Matthew
Savona: Nostra Signora di Misericordia
Tirano: Madonna di Tirano
Torino: Shroud of Turin in the cathedral
Varese: Madonna del Monte
Venice: relics of saint Mark
Vicenza: Madonna del Monte Berico
Viterbo: Madonna della Quercia

Our Lady of Lebanon

Lebanon

Our Lady of Lebanon (Harissa, Keserwan District)
Monastery of Qozhaya (Wadi Qozhaya, Zgharta District)
Monastery of Saint Maron (Annaya, Byblos District) - Sanctuary of Saint Charbel
Monastery of Saint Joseph (Jrabta, Batroun District) - Sanctuary of Saint Rafqa
Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justina (Kfifan, Batroun District) - Sanctuary of Saint Nimatullah
Qana Al Jaleel (Qana, Tyre District), where it is believed that Jesus Christ performed His first miracle, transforming water into wine at the Marriage at Cana.