Sightseeing tour of Loreto

The purpose of our excursion is to make a real pilgrimage to the Holy House, where the Virgin Mary was born, where she lived and received the news of the immaculate conception. Only it is not located in Palestine, as it should be, but in the Marcejan city of Loreto. The point is to save the holy dwelling from destruction by the Turks, who at that time dominated Palestine, it was moved from Nazareth first to Dalmatia, and then to one of the Pitsen hills that surround Ancona from the south. This is where Loreto grew up. The mysterious appearance of its stone walls occurred on the night of December 9-10, 1204, and since then this piece from the Holy Land has attracted believers and tourists, rich and poor, who want to heal or simply cleanse the soul or lighten the heart.

It is best to start our journey from the Loreto railway station to climb to the city center by the so-called Holy Stairs. It consists of 400 steps. It is believed that by climbing it, you will receive absolution of sins and come to the house of the Virgin Mary purified and enlightened. This ladder also has a symbolic meaning. It symbolizes Christ’s final path to Calvary. Each stand along the way is marked by a small chapel. Along the way, we will pass by the Polish memorial cemetery, where soldiers who died in World War II (mainly during the liberation of Italy) and the impressive crucifixion of Christ made of wood rest. On the observation deck near the fortress wall, at the very entrance to the city, we will see a stunning panorama of the sea coast of Conero and the surrounding area. The whole road along the Sacred Stairs will pass under the shadow of Mediterranean pines, so even in the summer heat, climbing will not seem particularly difficult.

The most famous architects of the time took part in the construction of the fortress, castle and basilica of the Holy House: Baccio Pontelli, known for the design of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, Donato Bramante - for the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, Luigi Vanvitelli - for the palace of the Neapolitan kings in Caserta, Francesco di Giorgio Martini - for the ducal palace in Urbino. What is the only magnificent dome of the basilica with a diameter of 22 meters (at that time the second largest after the Florentine dome of Brunneleschi), which is visible far from the sea and from the hills and is an integral part of the panorama of Loreto, made by Giuliano da Sangallo (1499-1500).

The Holy House itself is located inside the Basilica, in its very center. It is protected by marble cladding and rests on a marble base, where grooves left over several centuries by pilgrims are clearly visible. According to the established ritual, the Holy House must be crawled around on its knees.

Famous Loreto frescoes by Luca Signorelli in the sacristy of St. John and frescoes by Melozzo da Forli in the sacristy of St. Mark. Both artists participated in decorating rooms in the Vatican with frescoes. The museum of the Apostolic Palace contains the last works as a spiritual testament of the eminent artist Lorenzo Lotto, who spent the last years of his life here.

After leaving the temple, you can walk through the Madonna Square, in the center of which is the Maggiore fountain, built in 1602-1622 in the Baroque style. It was built to a large extent for the hygienic needs of believers, but at the same time it is a kind of masterpiece of engineering art, since a five-kilometer underground gallery was built to provide it with water.

Our tour will end with where it began, only in reverse order - we will go down the Sacred Stairs to Loreto station to return to the hotel or go on an excursion to Ancona, or stroll along the promenade of the resort town of Porto Recanati with its brightly painted multi-colored houses.