Christkindl Pilgrimage Place

Christkindl pilgrimage church

In 1695 the seriously ill tower watchman and bandmaster Ferdinand Sertl placed a small wax figure of the Christ child into the hollow of a firtree. Several times a week he returned to theplace to pray. After he was cured of epilepsy, theplace attracted so many pilgrims that it becamenecessary to build a church. It was given thename ”To the Christ child below the heavens”.The construction of the church was begun by Giovanni Battista Carlone in 1702. It was finishedby Jakob Prandtauer between 1708 and 1725.The miracle-working figure is only a 10 cm tallstanding wax figure of the Christ child holdinga cross and a crown of thorns in its hands and isnow housed in a little reliquary on the high altar above the globe-shaped tabernacle.

Christmas Post Office Christkindl

Already for the 65th time the A-4411 Christkindl Post Office opens its doors. In the beginning (1950), this popular postmark was stamped on about 42,000 letters and cards. Interest increased and today 16 employees are needed to hand stamp the letters and cards arriving from all over the world. Last season already 2 million letters and cards were dispatched from the Christkindl Post Office at the Hotel & Restaurant Christkindlwirt.

Mechanical nativity scene in the Christkindl parsonage
Almost 300 figures carved from linden wood move through a biblical landscape rich in historical detail by means of a unique mechanism using bicycle chains, shafts and gear wheels.
built by Karl Klauda (1855 – 1939)
Pöttmesser nativity scene in the Christkindl parsonage
one of the world’s largest nativity scenes This oriental landscape nativity scene with a floor space of 58 m2 provides sufficient room to accommodate the 778 up to 30 cm high, superbly carved and dressed figures of the South Tyrolese Ferdinand Pöttmesser (1895 – 1977). The landscape mountain was added with loving care at a later date by Josef Seidl, a Steyr citizen.