# Wallfahrtskirche Mariahilf

> This file is a plain-text rendition of a page on mytuur.com, generated from the same data as the HTML version.

Canonical page: https://mytuur.com/en/city/passau/spot/wallfahrtskirche-mariahilf/

Content updated: 2026-06-22

Wallfahrtskirche Mariahilf rises above Passau as a baroque pilgrimage church within a monastery complex dating from the seventeenth century. Its distinctive towers overlook the city, while the high altar displays a copy of the Mariahilf image. A covered prayer staircase leads upward from the Neutorgraben with 321 steps and votive tablets along the way.

Lucas Cranach painted the original image, which reached Passau in 1611 through Prince-Bishop Leopold. The original now hangs in St. Jakob parish church in Innsbruck, while this copy shaped the church’s importance as a pilgrimage destination. In 1683, Emperor Leopold I prayed before the image in Passau while Vienna faced Ottoman siege. The words “Maria Hilf” became a battle cry during the decisive battle at Kahlenberg.

From the church, the staircase opens onto a panoramic view of Passau’s so-called Italian side. The Pauliner order has lived in the monastery since 2002 and leads its religious life. Traditional events include the Stiegenwallfahrt, when pilgrims climb the covered steps together with prayers and music. Baroque architecture, the Mariahilf image, and 321 sheltered steps give the hillside sanctuary its memorable character.

- City: [Passau](https://mytuur.com/en/city/passau/)

## Photos

- ![](https://mytuur-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/image_WallfahrtskircheMariahilf_6874ca3c622f9d68e0baeec7_0.jpg) — [Image: wikimedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ex_voto_in_der_Wallfahrtskirche_Mariahilf_in_Passau.jpg)
- ![](https://mytuur-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/image_WallfahrtskircheMariahilf_6874ca3c622f9d68e0baeec7_1.jpg) — [Image: wikimedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ex_voto_in_der_Wallfahrtskirche_Mariahilf_in_Passau_2.jpg)
- ![](https://mytuur-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/image_WallfahrtskircheMariahilf_6874ca3c622f9d68e0baeec7_2.jpg) — [Image: wikimedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ex_voto_in_der_Wallfahrtskirche_Mariahilf_in_Passau_3.jpg)
- ![](https://mytuur-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/image_WallfahrtskircheMariahilf_6874ca3c622f9d68e0baeec7_3.jpg) — [Image: wikimedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ex_voto_in_der_Wallfahrtskirche_Mariahilf_in_Passau_4.jpg)
- ![](https://mytuur-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/image_WallfahrtskircheMariahilf_6874ca3c622f9d68e0baeec7_4.jpg) — [Image: wikimedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ex_voto_in_der_Wallfahrtskirche_Mariahilf_in_Passau_5.jpg)

Spots like this one are the stops myTuur strings into tours through Passau. In the app, each story begins where you stand: walk up to a spot and it starts, read it on screen or listen as you go, then follow the route to the next one.

## What is myTuur?

myTuur is a free city-guide app. Its tours are built from spots, and each spot carries a story that starts when you get there, to read or to listen to as you like.