Loreta

The Loretánská Chapel stands at the heart of Loreta, a tiny settlement that forms part of the Týnec municipality in the Klatovy district, right beside the road heading toward Klatovy, about two kilometers northeast of Týnec itself. This modest yet strikingly picturesque Baroque structure has drawn pilgrims from the Pošumaví region and beyond for three centuries.

Who founded the chapel at Loreta?

The chapel was founded in 1711 by Countess Marie Barbora Krakowská of Kolowrat, wife of Maximilian Norbert, Count Krakowský of Kolowrat, the Supreme Chamberlain of the Kingdom of Bohemia. It was built as a copy of the Holy House (Santa Casa) — according to legend, the house of the Virgin Mary from Nazareth, said to have been miraculously transferred at the end of the 13th century to the Italian town of Loreto, where it still stands inside a basilica. The altar stone was consecrated on 30 September 1710 by Bishop Vilém Kristián of the Premonstratensian order at Strahov. Chapels modeled on the Italian original, known as loretas, became immensely popular across the Bohemian lands during the 17th and 18th centuries and remain a distinctive feature of Czech Baroque architecture.

What happened to the chapel over the centuries?

The building's history has not been a smooth one. By 1783 it had already fallen into practical ruin. The Kolowrat and Vrbna families undertook its restoration, returning the chapel to a usable state in 1831. Another important chapter came in the 1990s, when the interior of the Holy House was reconstructed and the surviving frescoes inside the chapel were restored. Today the building is protected as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

What does the chapel look like inside and out?

The Loretánská kaple is a rectangular building set perpendicular to the road, measuring 12.58 by 7.37 meters on the outside. A characteristic sanctus bell turret sits at the center of the roof, a feature typical of this type of structure in the region. Inside, the eastern wall preserves an image of Our Lady of Loreto, while the frieze bears a painted alliance coat of arms of the Kolowrat and Vrbna families — the chapel's founders and later restorers. At the center of the interior stands the reconstructed Holy House, directly echoing its Italian model in Loreto.

Why is it worth visiting?

Loreta appeals to travelers who appreciate quiet, intimate sacred monuments with a rich history, away from the crowds that flock to larger loreta shrines such as the one in Prague. The chapel sits along regional touring routes through Pošumaví and makes a convenient stop for anyone exploring the area around Klatovy. The surrounding settlement, with its sparse buildings and the calm Šumava landscape in the background, only reinforces the site's contemplative, unhurried atmosphere.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded the chapel at Loreta? Countess Marie Barbora Krakowská of Kolowrat, in 1711.

What was the building modeled on? The Holy House (Santa Casa) from Loreto, Italy — the purported house of the Virgin Mary from Nazareth.

Is the chapel a protected monument? Yes, it is listed as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

When was its interior restored? The Holy House and its frescoes were restored in the 1990s, following an earlier reconstruction in 1831.