Narození Páně

The Church of the Nativity of Our Lord closes off the courtyard of Prague's Loreto complex in Hradčany, the pilgrimage site built around the Santa Casa chapel. Unlike the Santa Casa itself, which stands at the center of the courtyard, the church forms one side of the surrounding cloister and was in fact the last major structure to be completed within the whole Loreto complex.

When was the church built, and by whom?

The building's current form dates from a reconstruction carried out in the first half of the 18th century. Work began under architect Kryštof Dientzenhofer, who designed the church's western portal. After 1722, his son Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer took over, making minor adjustments to his father's plan. The final shape of the building was given in 1735 by architect Jan Jiří Aichbauer. The church was consecrated on 7 June 1737, though interior decoration continued for another year afterward. Most of the construction costs were covered by Countess Marie Markéta Waldsteinová of the Czernín family of Chudenice — the family that had funded the Loreto complex from its very beginning.

What can visitors see inside?

The main altar holds a painting of the Adoration of the Child set in a Rococo frame, flanked by sculptures carved by M. Schönherr. The side altars display well-regarded Rococo paintings of Saint Apollonia and Saint Agatha, the work of A. Kern. The vaulted ceiling is covered with frescoes: the Nativity scene was painted by J. A. Schöpf, while the Presentation of Christ in the Temple was created by Václav Vavřinec Reiner between 1736 and 1737. Between 1734 and 1738 a new organ, built by F. Katzer and K. Weltzer, replaced the church's earlier instrument.

Is there a crypt beneath the church?

Yes — beneath the church lies a crypt dating from 1663, older than the church's present form. A year after it was built, the crypt was decorated with wall paintings whose central scene, the Raising of Lazarus, was inspired by a famous etching by Rembrandt. Seven painted wooden coffins have survived inside it.

How does the church relate to the rest of Loreto?

The Church of the Nativity is not a freestanding building — it is part of the enclosed cloister surrounding the Santa Casa, the oldest and central element of the whole complex. This distinction often confuses visitors: the chapel in the middle of the courtyard and the church along its edge are two separate, adjoining sacred buildings, completed at different times by different patrons.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Church of the Nativity of Our Lord located? In Hradčany, Prague, within the Loreto complex, along the courtyard that surrounds the Santa Casa chapel.

Who designed the church? Kryštof Dientzenhofer began the work, his son Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer continued it, and Jan Jiří Aichbauer gave the building its final form in 1735.

When was the church consecrated? On 7 June 1737.

How is the church different from the Santa Casa chapel? The Santa Casa stands at the center of the courtyard as Loreto's oldest, central structure, while the Church of the Nativity closes off the courtyard on one side and was completed much later, as the final piece of the whole complex.

What is worth seeing in the crypt? Wall paintings from 1664, including a Raising of Lazarus scene inspired by Rembrandt, along with seven painted wooden coffins.