Celldömölk

The history of this neat little town is intertwined with the votive statue, to be found in the Holy Virgin roman-catholic parish church in the Kiscell township of Celldömölk. The church was built in the 18th century in Baroque style under the guidance of Abbot Odó Koptik.

This magnificent building has a footprint of a Latin cross. It is 50 m long and 11 m wide. Between the 40m high towers of the western façade a wooden statue of Saint Anna can be seen in an arch field, a glass-mosaic image above the main ledge (József Falka, 1948), above the initials of the Holy Virgin can be seen. Next to it, there are mosaic-like glass paintings of Saint Benedictus. 

The most precious part of the rich Baroque church interior is the main altar, located in a chapel-like room. Above it you can see the dressed votive statue, having miraculous powers, (the Holy Virgin with the Jesus Child). Behind the chapel there is the Saint Steven altar and the registry, consisting of two rooms (the second one is devoted to confessions), above them there is the treasury with various votive objects. The pipe organ was installed in 1914, however, its master destined it to be positioned in the basilica of Pannonhalma in the year 1876. 

The foundations of the monastery to the south of the church were laid in 1760. The building with a U-shaped footprint was originally planned to be rectangular and its golden double-cross was festively fastened onto its façade in 1760. The southern façade features a sundial. The Benedictines received the monastery back in the year 2010. Together with the Baroque building, the Calvary, behind it the church is the sacred centre of the town. It was built with the funds of the retired colonel János Liptay, who settled down in Celldömölk once he retired. 

The statue of the Holy Trinity to the south of the buildings can also be linked to them. According to its sign, the construction was financed by the judges József Joachim and Ferdinand Niederreiter. The pedestal shows the figures of Saint Paul, the Hermit, Saint Steven, Saint John and Saint Florian. 

The Mary-Well can be found opposite the Votive church and next to the Benedictine monastery. Celldömölk is an important station of the Mary-Road, a pilgrim way across Central-Europe. Locomotive museum – Visitors can inspect three restored steam locomotives on the railway station. Locomotives and carriages can be visited from January to December.