Servite Monastery

The Servite Monastery
Under Prince Leopold V, the cornerstone for the Servite Monastery—adjacent to the pilgrimage church—was laid in 1621, and the Servites (Servants of Mary) were entrusted with pastoral care at the pilgrimage site. The work was completed in 1644 under Archduchess Claudia of Medici. The new altars in the chapel were crafted in 1660; they were enlarged and redesigned in the Baroque style between 1728 and 1735.

Emperor Joseph II dissolved the monastery in February 1785 and banned the pilgrimage. The living quarters were rendered unusable, the buildings were demolished, and the site was thus left to fall into disrepair. The order repurchased the ruins in November 1844 and rebuilt the structures.

In 1941, however, the monastery and the church were closed by the Nazis. In June 1945, the friars were able to return and carry out the necessary repairs. From 1986 to 1995, the church and monastery underwent a thorough renovation.