church and the town.
In 1474, another fire devastated the town.
In 1532, the Turks returned to Mariazell and set more houses on fire.
1644: The "baroque-ization" of the church is begun by Abbot Benedikt Pierin, and the commission is given to Master Builder Sciassia. After his death the construction is continued by various other workers before being completed in 1780.
1679: Emperor Leopold I visits the shrine, and a valet in his entourage brings the plague to Mariazell. Fear and terror take hold as 156 townspeople fall victim to the disease.
1683: Fears of a new Turkish invasion cause the holy statue as well as the treasury images to be sent to St. Lambrecht, from which they were returned later that year.
1742: The Empress grants Abbot Eugen Inzaghi the privileges of an Archabbot over Gollrad and Aschbach, as well as over the Mariazell cast iron works.
1786: Emperor Joseph II dissolves the Monastery of St. Lambrecht, from which Mariazell was serviced, in the course of his cloister abolishments. The pilgrimages are hampered and later completely forbidden.
1798: A conflagration destroys the town; the area of Wiener Straße is especially hard hit.
1805: The Battle of Mariazell is fought in the area during the War of the Third Coalition as the French invade Austria.
1809: Faced with a French advance in the War of the Fifth Coalition, church treasures are brought to Temesvár in Hungary for security. A few weeks later, the French arrive at Mariazell. Combat operations, requisition, and crop failures lead in these years to a massive decrease in population.
1816: A great famine takes place. Archduke Johann introduces the potato and plants it in the poor fields of the area to combat hunger.
1818: Archduke Johann buys the Brandhof.
1827: Mariazell's largest fire, which incinerates almost the entire town, and leaves the church with great fire damage, occurs on All Souls' Night
