came into the Zellertal with a lime-tree wood statue of the Virgin Mary and founded the first chapel there, around which the town later grew. The town's name derived from the description "Mary in the cell", i.e. in the monk's chapel. In 1344, Mariazell was elevated to the status of market town. Between 1340 and 1380, the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style. In 1420, the Turks of the Ottoman Empire invaded Mariazell for the first time and burned the 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 visited the shrine, and a valet in his entourage brought the plague to Mariazell. Fear and terror took hold as 156 townspeople fell victim to the disease. 1683: Fears arising from yet another Ottoman invasion caused 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 granted Abbot Eugen Inzaghi the privileges of an Archabbot over Gollrad and Aschbach, as well as over the Mariazell cast iron works. In 1782, Joseph Haydn wrote the Mariazell Mass, for pilgrims to the Basilica in Mariazell. The mass was commissioned at the request of the pilgrims, through a military officer. In 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. In 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.