The area of Marija Bistrica is considered to be a site of various pre-Christian sanctuaries. With the rediscovery of the miraculous Madonna statue in 1684, an increasing number of believers came to Marija Bistrica, contributing to the development of the pilgrimage culture within an increased devotion to Mary. The growing pilgrim activity initiated numerous architectural and artistic changes, i.e. baroquization of the complex and mission chapels. All of these changes occurred in the context of post-Tridentine reform, which had an immediate impact on visual art and heritage. The Council of Trent (1545–1563) encouraged the veneration of Mary and supported its proper visual expression. Therefore, in the following centuries, 16th and 17th, the Bistrica shrine developed into the most visited in the area, while numerous Marian shrines in continental Croatia were also revived. Marian iconography, which was enriched in this period, became an integral part of certain pilgrim practices (e.g. noticeable in the connection between the iconographic type of the Virgin in bell-shaped mantle and the dressing of Madonna statues). An interesting aspect of the culture are graphic devotional icons, small works of art of a practical nature that were printed in numerous European printing centers (e.g. Antwerp, Vienna, Graz) and also Zagreb. The paper elaborates on the importance of Marija Bistrica as a pilgrimage center in the context of existing research and highlights the possibility of potential research in certain aspects.