Saint with a beard in Prague. Prague Loreta is the Catholic treasury of the Czech Republic. Carillon ringing and its legend

One of the most magnificent architectural monuments built in the Baroque style. A unique treasury with the world's most famous donor-bearer. And it's all famous Prague Loretta, or Loretan Monastery. It is located in Hradcany, not far from Prague Castle - just a few minutes walk from it.
  The construction of Prague Loretta began in 1626 by order of the Czech aristocrat Katerina from Lobkowicz and was carried out by a family of architects Dietzenhofer. Katerina from Lobkowicz wholeheartedly believed in the legend of Holy Shack in Loretta  and widely promoted her.

According to legend, in the Italian town of Loreto there is a hut in which the archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and informed her that she would soon become a mother. According to believers, the house was moved here to Prague Loretta from Nazareth by angels to protect the baby from the Gentiles.
  After its foundation, the Prague copy of the Nazareth hut of the Virgin Mary became one of the most visited pilgrim centers. Inside the Holy Shack you can see a silver altar and a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary of the XVII century. The bas-reliefs of the Holy Hut are made by Italian masters using the stucco technique, depicting Old Testament prophets and Christian saints. On both sides of the hut entrance there are two fountains symbolizing the Resurrection and Ascension: one of them is decorated with the sculpture “Resurrection of Christ”, and the other - “Assumption of the Virgin” (this copy, the original is stored in the Lapidarium of the National Museum).

In 1661, the Holy Hut was surrounded by a frescoed covered arcade. The facade of Loretta with a tower was completed in 1722. Located above the entrance to Loreto, the balcony is decorated with statues of St. Joseph (Joseph) and St. John the Baptist. These sculptures are the result of the work of Ondrej Kvitayner. The baroque tower houses 27 bells, cast in 1691-1694 in Amsterdam by Claude Fremy. On the clock installed on the tower every hour a melody sounded by bells.

The treasury of the Prague Loretta, which is the second largest in the Czech Republic, is located in the western wing. It presents a variety of liturgical objects, donors and artworks of the XVI-XVIII centuries, donated to the church by devout representatives of the Czech nobility. The oldest exhibit presented here - the Gothic chalice - dates from the year 1510, and the most famous exhibit is the donor-donor of 1698, the Prague Sun, which was made of gold and silver and generously decorated with 6222 diamonds and on which were laid the sacrament for communion.

The Loreta complex, in addition to the treasury, the tower and the Holy hut, includes the chapel of St. Anne, the chapel of St. Frantisek (Francis) Serafinsky, the chapel of St. Joseph (Joseph), the chapel of the Holy Cross, the chapel of St. Antonin (Anthony) of Padua, the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows and richly decorated Church of the Nativity of the Lord (XVIII century). Along the walls of the latter are relics in the form of skeletons in clothes and with death masks made of wax. Over the frescoes of the church worked Vaclav Wavrins Reiner.
  The luxurious decoration of the Loretan monastery and the legends of the Nazareth hut fit perfectly into the recatolization campaign conducted at that time by Emperor Ferdinand II - a representative of the Habsburg clan. During the recatolization to attract the Czechs to the Catholic religion rejected by them in the Czech Republic about fifty copies of the Holy hut were built. AND Prague Loretta  became the most famous and popular of them.

Information
  Opening hours of Prague Loreta: Tuesday - Sunday.
  From 9:00 to 12:15 and from 13:00 to 16:30.
  Monday - Day off.
  Ticket price: Adult - 110 CZK. Children - 90 CZK.
  The fee for the opportunity to take pictures in Prague Loreta is 100 CZK.
  From June 1, 2010 it is allowed to take photos without using a flash and a tripod.

How to get to Prague Loreta?
  Prague Loreta is located in the Hradcany district, a five-minute walk from Prague Castle.
By tram:  Prague Loreta can be reached by tram. Stops
  Brusnice or Pražský hrad (22 and 91) (go towards Hradcany) or Pohořelec (22).
Metro:  Green Line A. The closest station to Loreta is Malostranská. Go decently, also uphill.

Prague Loreta Address: Loretánské nám. 7,
  118 00 Praha 1 - Hradčany.

Loretansky monastery. one of the iconic places in Prague. It is located between the Prague Castle and the Strahov Monastery. After a morning visit to the Strahov Monastery, I decided to visit the Loretansky Capuchin Monastery, especially since the rain continued to rain.

Loretan house Santa Has (Holy hut) was originally in the city of Nazareth. An important event of the Incarnation took place here, when the Archangel Gabriel informed the Virgin Mary that she would conceive of the Holy Spirit and here the son of God became a man in her bosom. Here the Virgin Mary lived until the death of Christ.
Around 1291, the pilgrims dismantled the house and it was taken out by ship and ended up in Loretto in Italy. Then the legend arose that the house was moved by angels. This relic was very revered in the Middle Ages and therefore copies of Loretta began to appear in Europe.

staircase to the Loretan monastery

Central view.
The bell tower of Prague Loreta is located in a tall tower, built in 1693, and has the famous chime. This bell tower was made in Amsterdam, in 1694, and donated by the shrine of the Prague merchant Eberhard Glauchov. The bell tower has 27 bells that do not move, and the ringing is made then the ringing tones are played on the vultures. Each at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., the bells automatically fulfill the religious motive “Glorify you three thousand times”.

In the square next to the stairs is a monument to the second president of Czechoslovakia, Edward Benes.

Opposite the Loretan monastery on the Loretan square is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

portrait of Benina Katarina from Lobkowicz (founder of Loretta in Prague). Second half of the 17th century
This is not the first Loretta in Prague; several Lorettas were created in the Czech Republic before it, but it is the most glorious and visited.

Portrait of Ludmila Eva Francisco, Countess of Kolovrat, one of Loretta's great patrons.
With her money, the chapel of the Holy Family (St. Joseph) was built in 1691.

Portrait of Maria Marketa, Countess of Waldstein with a copy of the altar painting for the Church of the Nativity of the Lord. The first half of the 18th century.
In 1717, the Countess Rashiril (as an architect confirmed by Krishtof Dietzenhofer) the temple, since before that he was only a chapel in a niche.

church of the Nativity of the Lord.

Here is my little piece of organ music video in the temple of the Nativity of the Lord

unusual painting and bas-reliefs of the Holy Cabin

I visited the exhibition very well here (it was held from May 4 to November 30, 2012). The exhibition was held under the name Ars moriendi-Loretánské krypty, that is, the art of a good death. A crypt with well-preserved frescoes was discovered. Since the crypt itself is not publicly displayed (for centuries, when the tomb did not open, a special microclimate formed in the crypt that would be violated with each crypt opening), a copy of the crypt was created and you can go in and take pictures (naturally, I bought permission to taking pictures in the monastery), but you can’t shoot a video.
The author of the frescoes is unknown. The frescoes were most likely created around 1660, at a time when the tomb was built under the chapel of the Birth of the Lord, which once stood on the site of today's church.
You could also see, for example, the painted cover of the coffin of Baron Trink, who was buried in the monastery in Brno, part of the exhibition is dedicated to the brother of the Capuchin monastery Valerian Magnia. There are also portraits and coats of arms of representatives of the noble family of Lobkowicz, who are buried in the tomb in Loret, that is, under the Holy Shack, as well as exhibits from the Loretan treasure, for example, crosses containing relics and burial fabrics that were closed in the vault

There is an exposition of treasures in the Monastery. It opened in 1962. The presented gifts are items donated by pilgrims and admirers. In 1705, during the war with the Turks, it was confiscated. During the Napoleonic Wars in 1796,1809,1810, a number of items made of precious metals melted into coins were transferred from the Loreto treasury. About 300 valuable items have survived to this day. Most of the items are priceless items made of gold and silver of the 17-18 centuries of the highest level of work.

And here is the most valuable adornment - the informer "Prague Sun". It is cast from silver, gold and decorated with 6222 diamonds. This unique miracle weighs as much as 12 kg and its height is 89.5 cm. It was created in 1698.

one of the chapels. On the territory there are a large number of chapels

chapel of st. Cross

Prague is the beautiful capital of the Czech Republic, which has prepared for the guests a lot of interesting, unusual and memorable things. The famous attraction of Prague is Prague Loretta, which is the most visited place for pilgrimage. Loretta Prague is a complex of amazing buildings, the main of which is Santa Casa (Holy Hut, where the Virgin Mary lived in Nazareth).

Prague Loretta (Czech Republic) - a huge number of legends and ancient legends. Loretta is considered to be one of the most remarkable monuments of Baroque architecture. This is the "brainchild" of the Dietzenhofers - a respected family of baroque architects. Prague Loreta is a closed perimeter building around the courtyard with a hut located in the center.

Prague Loretta appeared when the period of counter-reformation flourished in Europe. At that time, the Catholic Church was fighting to strengthen Catholicism and its expansion in the world. Then the Holy Hut became a pilgrimage center. Santa Casa is a copy of the Virgin Mary’s hut, which, according to legend, the angels transferred from Nazareth to the town of “Loretta” (Italy) during the Turkish attack. The first stone for the hut was laid by order of the rich pious countess - Catherine Benigna of Lobkowicz.

In the period from the XVII to the XVIII century, the appearance of the monastery was gradually improved. The entire Prague Loretta complex was expanding and being completed. And in the middle of the twentieth century, a new treasury was opened here for public inspection. The Loretan treasury is very popular among tourists in our time. In this place are stored expensive icons with gold salaries and sapphires. The most ancient exhibits include the Gothic chalice of 1510. The amazing treasure of Prague Loretta is the diamond donor “Prague Sun”, which is decorated with 6,222 diamonds.

Prague Loretta has a lot of attractions, because there is something to see. These are reliefs from the life of the Virgin Mary, and the Church of the Nativity of Christ. All interiors are distinguished by luxurious motifs, rich decor and magnificent decoration. On the territory of Loretta, you can also see a statue-crucifix of the Spanish martyr St. Elder with a beard. It is worth noting that Loretta (Prague) has a beautiful facade with a tower and sculptures of St. Anne and the Evangelists, where there are mechanical chimes with 27 bells. The ringing of bells every hour pleases the whole of Prague, and long-standing legends attribute healing properties to this wonderful sound.

Prague Loretta in the Czech Republic is a holy place, which everyone who wants to get to know this Czech landmark closer will understand.

Prague Loreta is located near Loretan Square and is a complex of religious buildings. These buildings have been standing since the beginning of the 17th century and amaze tourists with their beauty and atmosphere, which brings incredible tranquility. Every tourist claims that this place brings order and balance to the mind. The exterior is mostly dominated by light colors, and the interior is striking in its abundance of details. The famous Capuchin Order, whose monastery is nearby, rules Loreto.

The story of the appearance of Prague Loreta

The idea to build a copy of the Holy House in Prague came to Countess Benigne Katerina, and construction began in 1626. And after 5 years, Loreta's coverage took place. The Prague version of the Hut differs from the original in several details: on the facade are statues that depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and Old Testament vices. Inside is a statue of this saint, which is made of linden.

What is worth seeing?

After a while, Loreta was supplemented by several more buildings, including a cloister. This structure is intended to protect the building from bad weather. Around it there are several chapels, two fountains and the Church of the Nativity of the Lord.

Church of the Nativity of the Lord

The facade of the chapel corresponds to the late Baroque and is decorated with many statues (St. Christopher, Virgin Mary, the Archangel Gabriel and others). The balcony and front door are also decorated with sculptures of various saints.

Bell tower

Nearby is the bell tower, which exceeds the number of bells in any church in Europe. The creator is Peter Neumann, and bells were cast in Amsterdam on special order.

  The magnificent baroque facade hides the most interesting.

Holy hut

Just entering the gate of the main building, you can see Loreta herself. Prague Loreta is a copy of the Holy Hut, the place where the Virgin Mary was raised. It was in this house, which is located in Nazareth, that the Annunciation passed. In the 13th century, a small town in Italy, Loreto became a haven for a hut and a place of pilgrimage.

Treasure chest

Art lovers should visit the Loreto Treasury, which stores paintings and various church attributes. Here is the Prague Sun, a vessel that is filled with the Holy Gifts. The vessel is made of silver and gold, and more than 6,000 diamonds are scattered throughout the body.

Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows with a statue of a crucified girl

It is also worth visiting the chapel of the Virgin Mary of Sorrows, which houses an unusual statue of the Elder. Legend has it that the girl disobeyed her father’s will and wanted to go down the aisle with the king of the Gentiles. On the evening before the wedding, she asked God for help, and in the morning she had a beard and mustache. The wedding was upset, and an angry father ordered his daughter to be crucified.

Where is Prague Loreta located?

Address: Loretánské nám. 7, 118 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic.

Loreta is located in the Hradcany district, not far from Prague Castle on Loreto Square.

You can get there by public transport:

1. By tram number 22 to the stop Pogorzhelets, then walk about five minutes.
2. In the metro station is the nearest station Malostranska, then by tram number 22 to the stop Pogorzhelets.
3. By car - next to Loreta there is a paid parking lot.

Prague Loreta on the map:

Opening hours and cost of visiting

Loreta receives visitors every day, including Saturday, Sunday and most holidays.

In the summer period (from April 1 to October 31): 9:00 - 17:00;
  In the winter period (from November 1 to March 31): 9:30 - 16:00.
  Cost of visit:

Entrance fees include visits to the entire monastery.

• adults - 150 CZK (about 430 rubles);
• elderly people - (70 +) - 130 CZK (about 372 rubles);
• family ticket (2 adults + children up to 15 years) - 310 CZK (about 886 rubles);
• Audioguide (available in Russian) - 150 CZK;
• Photo shooting (without flash) - 100 CZK (about 290 rubles)

Prague Loreta on a Czech map

Prague Loreta - what is it?

Prague Loreta appeared at a time when the Catholic Church fought for the expansion and strengthening of Catholicism in Europe and became a famous historical and cultural monument, which, without exaggeration, can be called the architectural pearl of the Czech Republic. Many tourists tend to get to Loretansky Square, where there are two dominant sights of the city - the majestic Cherninsky Palace and the amazingly beautiful Loreta.

Sights of Prague Loreta

Loretan Square

The square got its name from the church Loreta, which is part of the complex. From this platform, a beautiful view of all the facilities located here opens.

In the Loreta complex, in addition to the Cherninsky Palace, the Treasury and the Holy Cabin, there are the Chapel of St. Anne, the chapel of St. Frantisek Serafinsky, the chapel of St. Joseph, the chapel of the Holy Cross, the chapel of St. Antonin of Padua, the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows and the Church of the Nativity of the Lord.

Chernin Palace

The monumental Chernin Palace was built under the leadership of the famous Italian architect Francesco Caratti with the money of the imperial ambassador in Venice - Count Gumprecht Chernin. Its construction began in 1627, the palace was never completed. In 1741, the French and Bavarian troops who occupied Prague wanted to destroy this amazing structure, but, thank God, this did not happen and until the mid-19th century the barracks, stables and warehouses were located in the palace.

Holy hut

Loreta is one of Prague's shrines and a place that fully reflects the rich history and culture of the Czech state. Pilgrims from all over the Catholic world seek to get here.

Here is the Holy Cabin, in which, according to the giving, the Virgin Mary lived. It was built with the money of a wealthy noblewoman, and a large number of pilgrims from all over Europe began to come here.

Therefore, there was a need to create a gallery around the hut. As a result, an amazingly beautiful complex of buildings appeared, which is considered one of the longest in Prague. It is this complex of structures, in the middle of which, as in the casket, is the Hut, that is called Loreta.

On the facade of Loreta you can see sculptures of four evangelists and St. Anne, and on the bell tower, chimes with a unique mechanical device and 27 bells. Cast in 1653-1691 in Amsterdam by Claude Fremy, now they make up a single mechanical system with chimes. The ringing of these bells, which are attributed to healing properties, can still be heard in Prague today. Every hour in the monastery there is a hymn “Thousands of Glories to You,” dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows

The Chapel of the Sorrowful Mother of God is known for its unusual sculpture depicting a woman with a beard, the patroness of women unhappy in marriage.

This is an image of the holy martyr Starosta, a girl who did not want to obey the will of the father of the king of Portugal and marry the heir to the throne of Sicily. The girl spent nights in prayers for heavenly help, and her beard grew. The planned wedding was disrupted, and the father ordered the cruel daughter to be crucified.

Church of the Nativity

The church is part of the Loreta complex. This is a beautiful building with unusual arches painted with frescoes, a large number of sculptural decorations, a beautiful altar of the Renaissance and a striking organ. Here are stored the skeletons of Saints Felicissimus and Marsiah in luxurious outfits, their faces covered with death masks.

Treasure chest of Loreta

In Loreta there is a Treasury with liturgical objects, church utensils and other religious things - beautiful icons with gold salaries, decorated with precious stones, donors and other relics of the 16-18 centuries. By the number of values, this collection is second only to To the cathedral Vita.

Of greatest interest is the extraordinary donor, who is called the “Prague Sun”. It weighs 12 kilograms, is made of an alloy of precious metals and decorated with a scattering of diamonds. This is a work of art 89.5 centimeters high, made in the form of a rock, on which stands a small figure of the Virgin Mary. Golden rays emanate from her head, on which there are 6,222 diamonds. The oldest item in Loreta is, made in 1510, a Gothic chalice.

Loreta these days

Czech Loreta is one of the most, it is a shrine that everyone who has appeared in this beautiful and amazing country should see.