Religious Tourism on the Example of Nation Pilgrim Places in Slovakia (Patronages of the Virgin Mary)

Aim. Pilgrimage thus belongs to the oldest non-economic forms of migration and is a phenomenon that has intertwined throughout history religions. The aim article emphasize important position religious tourism as one its forms. Based on deep-rooted tradition wandering in Slovakia, characterize places pilgrimage national perhaps partly international significance. Method. Terrain reconnaissance together with analysis archival parish documents. Results. Numerous Marian temples chapels testify veneration Slovakia. Of 5925 known patronages churches (even those have disappeared) 1762 are dedicated Virgin Mary. these patrons, 329 consecrated by Seven Sorrows Our result field research an six sites importance Conclusion. Slovakia strongly Christian country wandering, evidenced many local regional sites. understood contact points God marked, they intersections where ways meet people. There mostly them (Marianka, Staré Hory, Levoča, Šaštín, Nitra, Ľutina) importance.