MARIJA BISTRICA - Croatia, a village on the northern slopes of Medvednica Mountain in Hrvatsko Zagorje, 6 km southeast of Zlatar Bistrica and 32 km northeast of Zagreb; elevation 191 m; population 1,057.

This famous national place of pilgrimage, the largest one in Croatia, has a centuries-old tradition in religious tourism. The main pilgrimage destination is the mediaeval church from the first half of the 14th century with the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Bistrica (Bistricka) from the 16th century. In a year Marija Bistrica receives over 600,000 visitors and pilgrims. The Way of the Cross is adorned with sculptures by the most famous Croatian artists and masters. The sanctuary gallery of Our Lady of Bistrica makes an integral part of the church sightseeing. Gingerbreads, raffles, merry-go-rounds, pottery and wickerwork, as well as the traditional beverage called "gvirc" (a kind of mead) contribute to this wonderful pilgrimage atmosphere.

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/1885/bistrica8ui.jpg

The pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Bistrica (from 1334 mentioned as the parish church of St. Peter) is surrounded by an enclosure wall. The complex was reconstructed (1878-1883) by H. Bollé in the spirit of Romanesque historicism; having connected the Gothic and Baroque forms, the Florentine and German Renaissance, the architect managed to create a very special architectural unit. The church houses the votive wooden Gothic -statue of Our Lady with Child, standing on the moon with a human head, an original work by a local master (around 1500). A number of goldsmith's pieces (vessels, votive gifts) from the 17th-19th centuries, originating from Marija Bistrica, among them especially the works by the Zagreb goldsmith V. Lehman, and textiles are now kept in the Diocesan Museum in Zagreb. The parish curia (mid-18th c.) was a meeting point of the members of the Illyrian Movement during the period of the abbot I. Krizmanic. - Close to the village is a ground-floor classicist manor-house (1786), surrounded by a landscaped park. It is one of the most harmonious manor-houses in Zagorje. In the past the manor-house was owned by the families Prasinski, Sermage and Hellenbach. Near the cemetery is a high Baroque column of Gabriel the Archangel.

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/9130/masovka29qf.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/4884/marijabistrica10pm.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/3676/9464379qw.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/8018/9464234wi.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/7446/000001127wl.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/2553/000001581ip.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/5944/000001190vg.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/9168/000001309dp.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/4927/000001311cl.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/2340/000001165tc.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/9662/000001095lo.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/8186/000001159iz.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/9354/000001119zy.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/9995/000001339iz.jpg

http://img60.echo.cx/img60/8720/000001516oz.jpg

^ That church is very unique - and gorgeous besides. The village looks so clean and well-kept, svega mi....I miss that so much here in BiH.

I love the patterns worked into the tile roofing on some Croatian churches! It looks like it has some Lilicum Bosniacum on the side. :D Hehehe.

great work bubach, I'll use this in my thread if you don't mind, lol...

wow, great church!
this pic looks astonishing
http://img60.echo.cx/img60/4884/marijabistrica10pm.jpg

Very beautiful
I have heard the name Marija Bistrica before and i am pretty sure about this
The church looks very immpressive