Pfingstwallfahrt Marienweiher

High Festival of the Pilgrimage in the Franconian Forest

The Pfingstwallfahrt Marienweiher is the high festival of the pilgrimage year at one of Germany's oldest pilgrimage sites. In the Marienweiher district of the market town of Marktleugast (Kulmbach district, Bavaria), pilgrims gather on Pentecost at the pilgrimage basilica of Mariä Heimsuchung to venerate the Gothic grace image of the Mother of God. Marienweiher is considered the oldest Marian pilgrimage site in Bavaria – even older than Altötting.

Pilgrim Groups from All Over Franconia

Even on the eve and in the early morning hours, pilgrim groups enter the village singing and praying. Over 60 parishes from Upper Franconia and the Upper Palatinate regularly organize pilgrimages to Marienweiher; on Pentecost, over twelve groups with several hundred pilgrims come together. Some cover the last kilometers on foot, while others travel by bus to attend the festive services.

Candlelight Procession and Festive Service

Highlights include the solemn pontifical masses in the baroque basilica and the candlelight procession through the village streets. The Pentecost pilgrimage combines old Franconian piety with the character of a major faith festival – Pentecost has truly remained 'a religious festival' here in the truest sense. The Franciscan Friars Minor, who have been providing pastoral care at the pilgrimage site for centuries, shape the style as open, inviting, and distinctly popular.

History of the Pilgrimage Site

Marienweiher is among Germany's oldest pilgrimage sites. At its heart is a late Gothic grace image of the Mother of God from the 15th century, venerated in the baroque basilica of Mariä Heimsuchung. Around 5,000 pilgrims visit Marienweiher annually; the crowds are largest on Pentecost and the weekend after the Nativity of Mary (September 8th).

Marktleugast and the Franconian Forest

The pilgrimage site is located in the Franconian Forest between Bayreuth and Hof, in the midst of a scenically attractive low mountain range region. Marienweiher is a district of the market town of Marktleugast in the Kulmbach district. Two traditional inns offer Franconian cuisine and accommodation, and private families also rent out rooms to pilgrims.