In the 20th century Marija Bistrica added a monumental Calvary to its pilgrimage activities. By this act, the pilgrims-penitents were finally given an adequate space for performing joined praying ceremonies of the Stations of the Cross. The idea for it came from Archbishop Antun Bauer and his Coadjutor Blessed Alojzije Stepinac.

The first four stations of the Bistrica's Calvary, made from carrara marble with the statues in actual size, were placed in 1943 and carved in Italy. In the following years at the initiative of the then-director of the sanctuary mons. Lovro Cindori, new stations were put up – works by our renowned academic sculptors: Kruno Bošnjak (5th station), Ante Orlić in cooperation with Marija Ujević (13th station), Stanko Jančić (7th, 9th, 11th, 15th station), Ante Orlić (10th, 12th, 14th station), Josip Poljan (6th station) and Ante Starčević (8th station).