Avioth Basilica, Avioth, France

Avioth has been a place of pilgrimage since the early 12th century and it was this that led to the building of the vast Church of Our Lady of Avioth. It is a masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic architecture, dating from the second half of the 13th century, and is often described as 'lacework in stone'. It is famous for its Recevresse, a unique work of Gothic art. We know it used to receive offerings from the pilgrims, but the reason for its construction remains uncertain.

References:

Lorraine Tourism

User Reviews

Paulus “Quesjer” den Boer (3 years ago)
Beautifull basiliek, but needs care as well!

Serge Laffont (4 years ago)
It's the basilique located in the smallest place in France. Very interesting outside and inside. It's an open church. A lot of ex votos inside.

Robin Jensen (4 years ago)
Not as big and impressive as I expected, but very worth a visit and very quaint village

Elizabeth F (6 years ago)
A beautiful hidden gem in the north of france. A basilique of the 13th century in a village of 150 of population and with very kind people around ready to offer their knowledge on the place. Don’t forget to visit the bookstore in front of the basilique it has french and english books and very olde editions.

Joris Pasgang (6 years ago)
Definitely a must see if you're in the area. However, it is located in a tiny and sleepy village, so make sure to bring a snack and a drink of your own if you're visiting outside of the opening hours of the local diners. Also a great starting point for walks through the surrounding countryside.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Christian Lauw

Historic Site of the week

Wieskirche

The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) is an oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the municipality of Steingaden.

The sanctuary of Wies is a pilgrimage church extraordinarily well-preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, and is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared.

The hamlet of Wies, in 1738, is said to have been the setting of a miracle in which tears were seen on a simple wooden figure of Christ mounted on a column that was no longer venerated by the Premonstratensian monks of the Abbey. A wooden chapel constructed in the fields housed the miraculous statue for some time. However, pilgrims from Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and even Italy became so numerous that the Abbot of the Premonstratensians of Steingaden decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.

Avioth Basilica

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Wieskirche