Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Yes, you could fit the entire museum in a carry-on-size suitcase,
but good things sometimes come in very, very small packages—
it's fascinating to see minutiae such as a padlock on the leg of an
ant. An English flier explains it all (entry-50 Kč, kids-20 Kč, daily
9:00-17:00).
On Loreta Square, Between Strahov
Monastery and Castle Square
From the monastery, take Loretánská street to Loreta Square
(Loretánské Náměstí). As you wander this road, you'll pass several
mansions and palaces, and an important pilgrimage church.
Loreta Church
—his church has been a hit with pilgrims for
centuries, thanks to its dazzling bell tower, peaceful yet plush
cloister, sparkling treasury, and much-venerated
Holy House (110 Kč, Tue-Sun 9:00-12:15 &
13:00-16:30, closed Mon).
Once inside the entry, follow the one-way
clockwise route. Strolling along the cloister,
notice that the ceiling is painted with the many
places Mary has miraculously appeared to the
faithful in Europe.
In the garden-like center of the cloister
stands the ornate
Santa Casa
(Holy House),
considered by some pilgrims to be part of
Mary's home in Nazareth. Because many pil-
grims returning from the Holy Land docked
at the Italian port of Loreto, it's called the Loreta Shrine. The
Santa Casa is the “little Bethlehem” of Prague. It is the traditional
departure point for Czech pilgrims setting out on the long, ardu-
ous journey to Europe's most important pilgrimage site, Santiago
de Compostela, in northwest Spain. Inside, on the left wall, hangs
what some consider to be an original beam from the house of Mary.
It's overseen by a much-venerated statue of the Black Virgin. The
Santa Casa itself might seem like a bit of a letdown, but consider
that you're entering the holiest spot in the country for generations
of believers.
The small Baroque church behind the Santa Casa is one of the
most beautiful in Prague. The decor looks rich—but the marble
and gold is all fake (tap the columns). From the window in the
back, you can see a stucco relief on the Santa Casa that shows
angels rescuing the house from a pagan attack in Nazareth and
making a special delivery to Loreto in Italy.
Continue around the cloister. In the last corner is St. Bearded
Woman (Svatá Starosta). This patron saint of unhappy marriages
is a woman whose family arranged for her to marry a pagan man.
She prayed for an escape, sprouted a beard...and the guy said,
