The Central European Marian Route is a network of pilgrimage paths connecting Marian pilgrimage sites. The route has two main diagonals: the pilgrimage trail from west to east connects the Austrian Mariazell with the Transylvanian Csíksomlyó. The north-south pilgrimage route links the pilgrimage site of the Order of Saint Paul in Częstochowa, Poland, with Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This diagonal is still under construction, making the Marian route a pilgrimage path in development.
The walking trail we offer aligns with the future route of the Marian pilgrimage path. The starting point of the pilgrimage is Báč, and the destination is Marianka (near Bratislava). The total distance covered is 53 km, which can be divided into three days.
The first day involves a journey of approximately 20 km, with the first stop being the pilgrimage church of St. Anthony of Padua. Leaving the village, we proceed along the banks of the Danube toward the town of Šamorín, where there will be an opportunity to visit the Reformed Christian Church, the oldest Gothic church on the Žitný Island, as well as the Roman Catholic church and monastery. The final stop of the first day is in Jánošíková, with the path leading through Hamuliakovo and Kalinkovo.
The next day, tourists and pilgrims can enjoy the beauty of nature along the "Old Danube," as the recommended route from Jánošíkova to Bratislava primarily leads through a natural landscape. The highlight of the day is the Franciscan Church in Bratislava, which is the oldest preserved sacred building in the capital of Slovakia. Next to the church is the Franciscan Monastery, also an important historical sacred building, as it was here that Ferdinand I, the Habsburg king, was crowned.
The route for the third day is the shortest (just under 9 km), but in terms of sacred values, it is perhaps the richest. The highlight of the final day and the entire pilgrimage is the Lourdes Grotto in Marianka, which is a replica of the original, featuring a statue of St. Bernadette, to whom, according to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared in the French town of Lourdes.
