diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoOperations.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoOperations.java
index 8f199e8ff..ad0f74ad1 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoOperations.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoOperations.java
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AggregationPipeline;
-import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AggregationResults;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.convert.MongoConverter;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.geo.GeoResult;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.geo.GeoResults;
@@ -316,6 +314,19 @@ public interface MongoOperations {
 	 */
 	<T> AggregationResults<T> aggregate(String inputCollectionName, AggregationPipeline pipeline, Class<T> entityClass);
 
+	/**
+	 * Execute an aggregation operation. The raw results will be mapped to the given entity class.
+	 * 
+	 * @param inputCollectionName the collection there the aggregation operation will read from, must not be
+	 *          {@literal null} or empty.
+	 * @param entityClass The parameterized type of the returned list, must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @param operations The aggregation operations, must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @return The results of the aggregation operation.
+	 * @since 1.3
+	 */
+	<T> AggregationResults<T> aggregate(String inputCollectionName, Class<T> entityClass,
+			AggregationOperation... operations);
+
 	/**
 	 * Execute a map-reduce operation. The map-reduce operation will be formed with an output type of INLINE
 	 * 
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java
index 7fed406f1..45cf3ff80 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.mapping.context.MappingContext;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.model.BeanWrapper;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.model.MappingException;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.MongoDbFactory;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.operation.AggregationOperation;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AggregationPipeline;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AggregationResults;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.convert.MappingMongoConverter;
@@ -1238,6 +1239,11 @@ public class MongoTemplate implements MongoOperations, ApplicationContextAware {
 		return new AggregationResults<T>(mappedResults, commandResult);
 	}
 
+    public <T> AggregationResults<T> aggregate(String inputCollectionName, Class<T> entityClass, AggregationOperation... operations) {
+        return aggregate(inputCollectionName, new AggregationPipeline(operations), entityClass);
+    }
+
+
 	protected String replaceWithResourceIfNecessary(String function) {
 
 		String func = function;
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationOperation.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationOperation.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bff5cd6f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationOperation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.operation;
+
+import com.mongodb.DBObject;
+
+/**
+ * Represents one single operation in an aggregation pipeline
+ *
+ * @author Sebastian Herold
+ * @since 1.3
+ */
+public interface AggregationOperation {
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the {@link DBObject} behind this operation
+     *
+     * @return the DBObject
+     */
+    DBObject getDBObject();
+}
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationPipeline.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationPipeline.java
index 81e229fae..492096792 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationPipeline.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/AggregationPipeline.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.operation.AggregationOperation;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.Criteria;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
@@ -39,6 +40,18 @@ public class AggregationPipeline {
 
 	private final List<DBObject> operations = new ArrayList<DBObject>();
 
+    public AggregationPipeline() {
+    }
+
+    public AggregationPipeline(AggregationOperation... operations) {
+        Assert.notNull(operations, "Operations are missing");
+
+        for (AggregationOperation operation : operations) {
+            Assert.notNull(operation, "Operation is not allowed to be null");
+            this.operations.add(operation.getDBObject());
+        }
+    }
+
 	/**
 	 * Adds a projection operation to the pipeline.
 	 * 
@@ -81,7 +94,7 @@ public class AggregationPipeline {
 	/**
 	 * Adds a group operation to the pipeline.
 	 * 
-	 * @param projection JSON string holding the group, must not be {@literal null} or empty.
+	 * @param group JSON string holding the group, must not be {@literal null} or empty.
 	 * @return The pipeline.
 	 */
 	public AggregationPipeline group(String group) {
@@ -118,7 +131,7 @@ public class AggregationPipeline {
 	/**
 	 * Adds a match operation to the pipeline that is basically a query on the collections.
 	 * 
-	 * @param projection JSON string holding the criteria, must not be {@literal null} or empty.
+	 * @param match JSON string holding the criteria, must not be {@literal null} or empty.
 	 * @return The pipeline.
 	 */
 	public AggregationPipeline match(String match) {
@@ -161,6 +174,14 @@ public class AggregationPipeline {
 		return operations;
 	}
 
+    /**
+     * creates an empty pipeline
+     * @return the new pipeline
+     */
+    public static AggregationPipeline pipeline() {
+        return new AggregationPipeline();
+    }
+
 	private AggregationPipeline addDocumentOperation(String opName, String operation) {
 
 		Assert.hasText(operation, "Missing operation name!");
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/GroupOperation.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/GroupOperation.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..739594a2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/GroupOperation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,334 @@
+package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.operation;
+
+import com.mongodb.BasicDBObject;
+import com.mongodb.DBObject;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.ReferenceUtil;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Map.Entry;
+
+/**
+ * Encapsulates the aggregation framework
+ * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/group/#stage._S_group">
+ *     <code>$group</code>-operation
+ * </a>
+ *
+ * @author Sebastian Herold
+ * @since 1.3
+ */
+public class GroupOperation implements AggregationOperation {
+
+    private static final String ID_KEY = "_id";
+    private final Object id;
+    private final Map<String, DBObject> fields = new HashMap<String, DBObject>();
+
+    public GroupOperation(Object id) {
+        this.id = id;
+    }
+
+    public DBObject getDBObject() {
+        DBObject projection = new BasicDBObject(ID_KEY, id);
+        for (Entry<String, DBObject> entry : fields.entrySet()) {
+            projection.put(entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());
+        }
+        return new BasicDBObject("$group", projection);
+    }
+
+    public GroupOperation addField(String key, DBObject value) {
+        Assert.hasText(key, "Key is empty");
+        Assert.notNull(value, "Value is null");
+
+        String trimmedKey = key.trim();
+        if (ID_KEY.equals(trimmedKey)) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("_id field can only be set in constructor");
+        }
+
+        fields.put(key, value);
+
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_addToSet">$addToSet operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$addToSet: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation addToSet(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$addToSet", name, field);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_first">$first operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$first: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation first(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$first", name, field);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_last">$last operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$last: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation last(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$last", name, field);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_max">$max operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$max: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation max(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$max", name, field);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_min">$min operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$min: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation min(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$min", name, field);
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_avg">$avg operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$avg: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation avg(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$avg", name, field);
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_push">$push operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$push: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation push(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$push", name, field);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_sum">$sum operation</a>
+     * with a constant value.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$sum: increment}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param increment increment for each item
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation count(String name, double increment) {
+        return addField(name, new BasicDBObject("$sum", increment));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_sum">$sum operation</a>
+     * count every item.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$sum: 1}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation count(String name) {
+        return count(name, 1);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a field with the
+     * <a href="http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/aggregation/addToSet/#grp._S_sum">$sum operation</a>.
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {
+     *          _id: "$id_field",
+     *          name: {$sum: "$field"}
+     *     }}
+     * </pre>
+     * @param name key of the field
+     * @param field reference to a field of the document
+     * @return
+     *
+     */
+    public GroupOperation sum(String name, String field) {
+        return addOperation("$sum", name, field);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a <code>$group</code> operation with <code>_id</code> referencing to a field of the document. The
+     * returned db object equals to <pre>{_id: "$field"}</pre>
+     * @param field
+     * @return
+     */
+    public static GroupOperation group(String field) {
+        return new GroupOperation(ReferenceUtil.safeReference(field));
+    }
+
+    protected GroupOperation addOperation(String operation, String name, String field) {
+        return addField(name, new BasicDBObject(operation, ReferenceUtil.safeReference(field)));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a <code>$group</code> operation with a id that consists of multiple fields.
+     *
+     * Using {@link IdField#idField(String)} or {@link IdField#idField(String, String)} you can easily create
+     * complex id fields like:
+     * <pre>
+     *
+     *     group(idField("path"), idField("pageView", "page.views"), idField("field3"))
+     *
+     * </pre>
+     * which would result in:
+     * <pre>
+     *
+     *     {$group: {_id: {path: "$path", pageView: "$page.views", field3: "$field3"}}}
+     *
+     * </pre>
+     * @param idFields
+     * @return
+     */
+    public static GroupOperation group(IdField... idFields) {
+        Assert.notNull(idFields, "Combined id is null");
+
+        BasicDBObject id = new BasicDBObject();
+        for (IdField idField : idFields) {
+            id.put(idField.getKey(), idField.getValue());
+        }
+
+        return new GroupOperation(id);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Represents a single field in a complex id of a <code>$group</code> operation.
+     *
+     * For example:
+     * <pre>
+     *     {$group: {_id: {key: "$value"}}}
+     * </pre>
+     */
+    public static class IdField {
+
+        private final String key;
+        private final String value;
+
+        public IdField(String key, String value) {
+            Assert.hasText(key, "Key is empty");
+            Assert.hasText(value, "Value is empty");
+
+            this.key = ReferenceUtil.safeNonReference(key);
+            this.value = ReferenceUtil.safeReference(value);
+        }
+
+        public String getKey() {
+            return key;
+        }
+
+        public String getValue() {
+            return value;
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * Creates an id field with the name of the referenced field:
+         * <pre>
+         *     _id: {field: "$field"}
+         * </pre>
+         * @param field reference to a field of the document
+         * @return the id field
+         */
+        public static IdField idField(String field) {
+            return new IdField(field, field);
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * Creates an id field with key and reference
+         * <pre>
+         *     _id: {key: "$field"}
+         * </pre>
+         * @param key the key
+         * @param field reference to a field of the document
+         * @return the id field
+         */
+        public static IdField idField(String key, String field) {
+            return new IdField(key, field);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/MatchOperation.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/MatchOperation.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c4bb0f1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/MatchOperation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.operation;
+
+import com.mongodb.BasicDBObject;
+import com.mongodb.DBObject;
+import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.Criteria;
+
+/**
+ * Encapsulates the <code>$match</code>-operation
+ *
+ * @author Sebastian Herold
+ * @since 1.3
+ */
+public class MatchOperation implements AggregationOperation {
+
+    private final DBObject criteria;
+
+    public MatchOperation(Criteria criteria) {
+        this.criteria = criteria.getCriteriaObject();
+    }
+
+    public DBObject getDBObject() {
+        return new BasicDBObject("$match", criteria);
+    }
+
+    public static MatchOperation match(Criteria criteria) {
+        return new MatchOperation(criteria);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Projection.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Projection.java
index c4ef22891..a1fcc08dd 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Projection.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/Projection.java
@@ -39,9 +39,7 @@ import com.mongodb.DBObject;
  */
 public class Projection {
 
-	private static final String REFERENCE_PREFIX = "$";
-
-	/** Stack of key names. Size is 0 or 1. */
+    /** Stack of key names. Size is 0 or 1. */
 	private final Stack<String> reference = new Stack<String>();
 	private final DBObject document = new BasicDBObject();
 
@@ -105,7 +103,7 @@ public class Projection {
 		Assert.hasText(key, "Missing key");
 
 		try {
-			document.put(key, rightHandSide(safeReference(reference.pop())));
+			document.put(key, rightHandSide(ReferenceUtil.safeReference(reference.pop())));
 		} catch (EmptyStackException e) {
 			throw new InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException("Invalid use of as()", e);
 		}
@@ -125,7 +123,7 @@ public class Projection {
 
 		Assert.notNull(n, "Missing number");
 
-		rightHandExpression = createArrayObject(op, safeReference(reference.peek()), n);
+		rightHandExpression = createArrayObject(op, ReferenceUtil.safeReference(reference.peek()), n);
 		return this;
 	}
 
@@ -134,7 +132,7 @@ public class Projection {
 		List<Object> list = new ArrayList<Object>();
 		Collections.addAll(list, items);
 
-		return new BasicDBObject(safeReference(op), list);
+		return new BasicDBObject(ReferenceUtil.safeReference(op), list);
 	}
 
 	private void safePop() {
@@ -144,18 +142,7 @@ public class Projection {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private String safeReference(String key) {
-
-		Assert.hasText(key);
-
-		if (!key.startsWith(REFERENCE_PREFIX)) {
-			return REFERENCE_PREFIX + key;
-		} else {
-			return key;
-		}
-	}
-
-	private Object rightHandSide(Object defaultValue) {
+    private Object rightHandSide(Object defaultValue) {
 		Object value = rightHandExpression != null ? rightHandExpression : defaultValue;
 		rightHandExpression = null;
 		return value;
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ReferenceUtil.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ReferenceUtil.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ac65b5379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ReferenceUtil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation;
+
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+
+/**
+ * Utility class for mongo db reference operator <code>$</code>
+ */
+public class ReferenceUtil {
+
+    public static final String REFERENCE_PREFIX = "$";
+
+    /**
+     * Ensures that the returned string begins with {@link #REFERENCE_PREFIX $}
+     *
+     * @param key reference key with or without {@link #REFERENCE_PREFIX $} at the beginning
+     * @return key that definitely begins with {@link #REFERENCE_PREFIX $}
+     */
+    public static String safeReference(String key) {
+
+        Assert.hasText(key);
+
+        if (!key.startsWith(REFERENCE_PREFIX)) {
+            return REFERENCE_PREFIX + key;
+        } else {
+            return key;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Ensures that the returned string does not start with {@link #REFERENCE_PREFIX $}
+     *
+     * @param field reference key with or without {@link #REFERENCE_PREFIX $} at the beginning
+     * @return key that definitely does not begin with {@link #REFERENCE_PREFIX $}
+     */
+    public static String safeNonReference(String field) {
+
+        Assert.hasText(field);
+
+        if (field.startsWith(REFERENCE_PREFIX)) {
+            return field.substring(REFERENCE_PREFIX.length());
+        }
+
+        return field;
+    }
+}