Loreto ( , , ) is a hill town and comune of the Italian province of Ancona, in the Marche region. It is most commonly known as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.
Location
Loreto is located above sea level on the right bank of the Musone river and by rail south-southeast of Ancona; like many places in the Marche, it provides good views from the Apennines to the Adriatic.
Main sights
The city's main monuments occupy the four sides of the piazza: the college of the Jesuits; the Palazzo Comunale (formerly the Palazzo Apostolico), designed by Bramante, that houses an art gallery with works of Lorenzo Lotto, Vouet and Annibale Carracci as well as a collection of maiolica, and the Shrine of the Holy House (Santuario della Santa Casa). It also boasts a massive line of walls, designed by the architect (and military engineer) Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, which were erected from 1518 and reinforced in the 17th century.
Gallery
Twin towns and sister cities
Loreto is twinned with:
Mariazell, Austria Fátima, Portugal Altötting, Germany Częstochowa, Poland Lourdes, France Nazareth, Israel Harissa, Lebanon Għajnsielem, Malta
See also Shrine of the Holy House Shrines to the Virgin Mary Territorial prelature of Loreto Sisters of Loreto
References
External links Active link to the Santuario Loreto Official website Official website of the sanctuary Catholic Encyclopedia article Loreto