Mariánska hora, (781 m. above sea level), a hill above Levoča, Slovakia, with spectacular 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.

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 2nd July (the Feast of the Visitation), still draws a very large number of participants.

Images

Annual pilgrimage at Mariánska hora

Mariánska hora seen from Levoča

Plaque commemorating visit of Pope John Paul II