Mariastein Abbey : Klosterpl. 1, 4115 Metzerlen-Mariastein

Beautiful Abbey, store and village. The organist was rehearsing the day we went and was stunning experience to hear it and pray and admire the architecture. Definitely will come back.

I visited with my 95 year old grandmother. She doesn't walk well. At the hotel reception I asked how I could get into the lower cave. We were taken there in several elevators with a small walk between. They asked how long it would take to pick it up, and came back to bring back. Thank you very much for the service. A beautiful and holy place with wonderful people.

Amazing place and worth a visit. The history Sanctuary of Our Lady at Mariastein goes back to the first half of the 14th Century. The story goes that a small boy had fallen from the precipice down into the valley and saved by the virgin. The boy’s mother was tending cattle and sheep. To escape from the heat of the day she and her son took refuge in a cave on the side of the cliff. When she was asleep the boy disappeared. When she awoke she searched around had a premonition that her son had fallen into the valley below. She headed into the valley and there she found him picking flowers for the beautiful woman who had carried him to safety. After falling more than 50m he was unhurt and told his mother that the Lady wished to be venerated in the cave above. According to tradition the cave grotto has been the site of many miraculous events. There are hundreds of placards form the faithful confirming their faith in the Virgin. This is a beautiful peaceful place. Apart from the sacred grotto and its chapels the basilica is absolutely worth a visit it is spectacular. The facade was built between 1830 and 1834 by the Austrian, Jakob Begle. The church itself dates back to 17th Century having been consecrated in 1655. The church was restored between 1930 and 1944 as well as being repainted in the years 1999/2000. Amazing place and worth a visit.