Wallfahrtskirche Annaberg
Description
Annaberg is both one of the most important pilgrimage stations on the Holy Road to Mariazell and a place of pilgrimage in its own right. The landmark, the pilgrimage church dedicated to St. Anna, was built in 1217 as a well-known stop-off point with a resting place and place of worship for pilgrims.
The church with the Gothic choir of today's Annaberg, then still known as "TANNBERG", was the first pilgrimage chapel to St. Anne in Austria. Inside the church is the Anna Selbdritt group dating from 1440 - said to have been created by Jakob Kaschauer - a true gem of high Gothic carving art. However, it was not the only destination for pilgrims, but also an imperial gift from 1660: the brain bowl of St. Anne, undoubtedly fake, but nonetheless a relic revered in earlier times.
Incidentally, there were always members of the imperial family among the pilgrims: apart from Leopold I, even Maria Theresa and her husband Franz I. Stephan made the pilgrimage to Annaberg.
