Mariánska hora

Mariánska hora, (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈmaɾijaːnska ˈɦɔɾa]; 781 m. above sea level), a hill above Levoča, Slovakia, with views over the town and countryside, is the location of the Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Slovak: Bazilika navštívenia Panny Márie). Built between 1906 and 1922, the church contains an ancient statue of the Virgin which is the objective of pilgrimages.[1]

A chapel has existed in this location since at least the 13th century. It is thought that the location was used as a refuge by townsfolk of Levoča during the Tatar invasions of the time; it may also have been attached to a hospital for sufferers from leprosy. The chapel was enlarged and rebuilt many times, including a Baroque church in 1766. However the increasing number of pilgrims visiting the site necessitated a larger structure. Pope John Paul II, at the request of the local bishop, upgraded the church to a Basilica Minor in 1984, and visited the site himself on July 3, 1995, when about 650,000 pilgrims gathered for the occasion. The annual pilgrimage, on or around 2 July (Feast of the Visitation - still celebrated on the traditional date of 2 July in Slovakia), still draws a very large number of participants.[2]

  • Annual pilgrimage at Mariánska hora
  • Basilica on top of Mariánska hora
  • Mariánska hora seen from Levoča
  • Plaque commemorating visit of Pope John Paul II

References
  1. Levoca city web site, accessed 27 February 2014.
  2. Slovakia travel website, accessed 27 February 2014.


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