You only see what you know (Goethe)
A typical souvenir of Mariazell is a snow globe featuring a miniature of the basilica. More than 100 years ago a producer of surgical instruments in Vienna named Erwin Perzy tried to develop an extra bright lightsource for use as a surgical lamp. As a side effect he figured out a new method to produce snow globes and actually the first piece used in these globes was a model of the basilica.
The electric locomotive class 1099 was produced in the years 1910-1914 for the use on the Mariazell Railway only. There they were in operation for regular schedules until 2013. The depicted one is still in use for carrying the classic train Ötscherbär (Ötscher Bear), a train named after the highest peak in the region.
I took this pic inside the depot of the museum tramway in Mariazell. The private association provides not only a museum tramway connecting the railway station of Mariazell with the nearby Erlauf Lake (Erlaufsee) but also consists of a fine selection of Austrian tramcars built before WW II. The depicted tramcar was designed by Austrian architect Otto Wagner.
One of the most modern observatories of Austria is located at an alpine pasture named Stehralm high over Mariazell. Thanks to less industry and settlement around Mariazell the sky in this region is a gem for stargazer.
The former Golden Lion Hotel (Hotel Goldener Löwe) is an art nouveau building at the central place of Mariazell.
The ‘House to the blue grape’ (Haus zur blauen Weintraube) is an art nouveau building located in the centre of the Styrian city of Mariazell.
The Archduke John Tower (Erzherzog-Johann-Warte) is named after Archduke John of Austria (Erzherzog Johann von Österreich) who he is remembered as a great modernizer in the Austrian state of Styria. The tower on top of the Bürgeralpe was built in 1908 and is a great look-out for the hills and mountains around Mariazell.
The Marian basilica located in the Styrian place of Mariazell is the most important pilgrimage destination in Austria and one of the most visited shrines in Europe. In front of the church you can see the typical stalls for pilgrimage places selling pilgrimage souvenirs (Wallfahrtswaren)
An educational nature trail connecting the chapel of St Sebastian with the centre of Mariazell educates about numerous uses of herbs. The trail is part of the state exhibition of Lower Austria titled ÖTSCHER:REICH.
On top of the mountain Bürgeralpe high over the city of Mariazell there is a theme park named Holzknechtland (Country of Woodcutters). Numerous stations talk about forestry and the life of woodcutters.
The museum of pilgrimage and local history (Wallfahrts- und Heimatmuseum) generally also known as Mariazeller Heimathaus is housed in a former asylum of the 17th century and tells about the life of local people, industries and the Mariazell Railway. It houses also the collection of a nature and hunting museum (Natur- und Jagdmuseum)