Altötting

Altötting (German: [altˈˀœtɪŋ], locally [ɔidˈɛːde̝ŋ]) is a town in Bavaria, capital of the district Altötting. This small town is famous for the Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of the Miraculous Image), one of the most-visited shrines in Germany. This is a tiny octagonal chapel which keeps a venerated statue of the Virgin Mary. According to the legend, in 1489, a 3-year-old local boy who had drowned in the river was revived when his grieving mother placed him in front of a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary at the high altar. News of the miracle quickly spread, and the chapel was immediately extended by the erection of a nave and a covered walkway. The tradition of Bavaria calls for the heart of the deceased king to be placed in an urn and kept at...