ÖSTERREICH	AUSTRIA
Bundesland: Niederösterreich	Lower Austria
Bezirk: Melk

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The pilgrimage church Maria Steinparz is situated in the hilly wodlands south of Melk in Lower Austria. The origin of the pilgrimages to this site is not known, but it had been a place of worship long before the first chapel was built in 1850. Already a few years later, in 1857, the communities of Anzendorf, Sallaburg and Steinparz decided to build a new church. The small hexagonal tower [right] was built in 1870 and the church was completed in 1882. The picture on the glass shows the appearance of the church prior to 1908. In that year the hexagonal tower was torn down and replaced by a new sacristy. The two larger bells were melted down in 1916; they were replaced in 1931, only to be lost again during World War II. The Neo-Gothic church was renovated in 1951, 1971/72, 1977 and 1987. Steinparz today is part of the municipality of Schollach, the church is a fillial church of the parish of Loosdorf.