
Loreta is a
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
destination in
Hradčany
Hradčany (; ), is the district of the city of Prague, Czech Republic surrounding Prague Castle.
The castle is one of the biggest in the world at about in length and an average of about wide. Its history stretches back to the 9th century. St ...
, a district of
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
,
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. It consists of a
cloister
A cloister (from Latin , "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open Arcade (architecture), arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle (architecture), quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cat ...
, the church of the Lord’s Birth, the ''Santa Casa'' and a clock tower with a famous
chime.
Construction started in 1626 and the Holy Hut was blessed on 25 March 1631. The architect was the Italian
Giovanni Orsi, and the project was financed by Kateřina Benigna, a noblewoman of the
Lobkowicz
The House of Lobkowicz (''Lobkovicové'' in modern Czech, sg. ''z Lobkovic''; ''Lobkowitz'' in German) is an important Bohemian noble family that dates back to the 14th century and is one of the oldest noble families of the region. Over the ce ...
family. Fifty years later the place of pilgrimage was surrounded by cloisters, to which an upper storey was added after 1740 by
Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer
Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer (; 1 September 1689 – 18 December 1751) was a German Bohemians, German Bohemian architect of the Baroque architecture, Baroque era. He is among the most prolific and renowned architects of his era in Bohemia. He was bo ...
.
The
baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
facade was designed by the architects
Christoph Dientzenhofer and
Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer
Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer (; 1 September 1689 – 18 December 1751) was a German Bohemians, German Bohemian architect of the Baroque architecture, Baroque era. He is among the most prolific and renowned architects of his era in Bohemia. He was bo ...
, and added at the beginning of the 18th century.
The chapel is most known for its
peal
In campanology (bell ringing), a peal is the special name given to a specific type of performance of change ringing which meets certain exacting conditions for duration, complexity and quality.
The definition of a peal has changed considerably ...
, heard since August 15, 1695. It was constructed during 1694 by watchmaker Peter Neumann from thirty smaller and larger
bell
A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...
s.
Today the building also houses a large collection of liturgical tools, mainly
monstrance
A monstrance, also known as an ostensorium (or an ostensory), is a vessel used in Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, High Church Lutheran and Anglican churches for the display on an altar of some object of piety, such as the consecrated Eucharisti ...
s. Exhibitions are occasionally held on the first floor of the cloister.
Neighbouring Loreta Square () is named after Loreta.
See also
*
Loretan Church in Praga
*
Basilica della Santa Casa
The Basilica della Santa Casa () is a Marian shrine in Loreto, Marche, Loreto, in Marche, the Marches, Italy. The basilica is known for enshrining the house in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed by some Catholics to have lived. Pious legen ...
*
Basilica of the Annunciation
The Church of the Annunciation (, , ), sometimes also referred to as the Basilica of the Annunciation, is a Catholic Church, Catholic church in Nazareth, in northern Israel. It is one of two claimants to the site of the Annunciation – in whic ...
in Nazareth
Notes
External links
Loreta's website, very detailed description(cz, en)
Loreta - Prague-wiki
{{Authority control
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1631
Catholic church buildings in the Czech Republic
Churches in Prague 1
Buildings and structures in Prague
Tourist attractions in Prague
1631 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire