Maria Waldrast Pilgrimage Church

Between the Stubaital and Wipptal valleys, at the foot of Mt. Serles, is a popular excursion destination and a true place of power: the Maria Waldrast Servite Monastery (Servitenkloster Maria Waldrast). The place got its name centuries ago because shepherds once liked to rest here. They were also the ones who found an image of Our Lady in a tree trunk in 1407 AD. Shortly afterwards, the construction of a chapel began. The present monastery dates back to the 17th century, when a spring with healing effects was also found right next to it.

The monastery, which incidentally also offers overnight accommodation, is not only known as one of the oldest Marian pilgrimage sites in Tyrol, but also as one of the highest pilgrimage sites in Europe due to its location at 1,641 m a.s.l. The church itself is decorated inside with a Gothic choir from the 15th century and works by Michael Waldmann the Younger. The picture of grace shows a carved seated Madonna handing an apple to the infant Jesus and dates from around 1420, but was later over-carved in Baroque style. The Passion panels on the nave wall date from around the same time. The monastery can be reached from the Wipptal and the Stubaital: A toll road to Maria Waldrast starts at Mützens above Matrei am Brenner, where a shuttle service also operates.

On foot, you can either follow the sledge run or the Quellenweg path through the forest from Matrei. From the Stubaital, on the other hand, a beautiful hike leads from the Koppeneck mountain station of the Serles Cable Cars to Maria Waldrast - alternatively, it takes three hours to walk past 15 rosary chapels in the valley below from Mieders to the pilgrimage site. In the cold season, you can discover the snow-covered pilgrimage monastery Maria Waldrast as a winter hike.