Maria Loreto Pilgrimage Complex

Maria Loreto stands on a wooded hill northeast of Starý Hrozňatov, about seven kilometres south of Cheb. It is one of the most important Baroque pilgrimage complexes in the Karlovy Vary Region, created by the Jesuits of Cheb as a West Bohemian echo of the famous Italian shrine of Loreto.

The place combines devotional architecture, a wooded Way of the Cross and a strong Czech-German restoration story. It is worth visiting slowly: first for the Baroque courtyard and Loreto chapel, then for the quiet paths and views around Starý Hrozňatov.

History

The complex was built between 1664 and 1689 at the initiative of Jesuit rector Jan Jiří Dasselmann, with support from local believers and noble patrons. The first Mass was celebrated in the chapel in 1667, and the whole complex was completed in 1689 with the consecration of the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre.

Maria Loreto is also connected with Blessed Hroznata, the Premonstratensian nobleman and founder of Teplá Monastery, who was imprisoned and starved to death at nearby Kinsberg Castle in 1217.

After the Jesuit order was suppressed in Cheb in 1773, the site passed to the Cheb parish. After 1951 it found itself inside the heavily guarded border zone and deteriorated badly. Its rescue began after 1989, when Anton Hart founded the Association of Friends of Loreto in Germany, followed by a Czech partner organisation. The restoration of the 1990s and early 2000s became a model example of Czech-German cooperation in saving shared heritage.

What to See

The Loreto chapel is the centre of the whole complex. It evokes the Santa Casa in Loreto and holds a wooden Black Madonna from 1664, dressed in a silvered coronation robe. Around it run covered arcades with four corner chapels. The arcades display scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and stone sculptures by Hatt Zeidler.

The nearby Church of the Holy Spirit dates from 1557. Its unusual sixteen-sided ground plan, vault and dome make it one of the most interesting Renaissance sacred buildings in the region.

The Way of the Cross once led through a romantic wooded valley with 29 stations and ends at the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre from 1688. Some stations were later affected by the building of the Jesenice reservoir, so the present route is partly adjusted. A small meditation garden with sculptures completes the atmosphere of the site.

Services and Pilgrimages

In season, Czech Masses are held regularly every two weeks and German Masses once a month. Czech-German pilgrimages bring thousands of visitors to the complex each year and are among the most authentic ways to experience Maria Loreto.

Practical Information

Admission is free, with voluntary donations for maintenance. Allow two to four hours if you also want to walk the Way of the Cross. Solid shoes are useful for the paths around the complex. Parking is available in Starý Hrozňatov.

Directions and Contacts

• Website: loreta.farnostcheb.cz
• Address: Starý Hrozňatov, 350 02 Cheb
• GPS: 50.0263, 12.3984
• Phone: +420 731 435 180
• E-mail: loreta@farnostcheb.cz
• Managed by: Roman Catholic Parish of Cheb