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Free Traveling Guides » States » New Mexico » Santa Fe
Loretto Chapel
The Loretto Chapel, situated in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a well-known chapel, appreciated for its extraordinary spiral staircase, which is an unusual work of carpentry. The construction of this beautiful staircase is considered to be a miracle by the Sisters of Loretto. It was Antoine Mouly, a renowned French architect, who designed this magnificent Chapel in a unique Gothic Revival style, complete with stained glass windows, spires, and buttresses imported from France. The Loretto Chapel bears great resemblance to the Saint-Chapelle in Paris.
However, after the architect died, it was realized that the Chapel does not have any stairway to the choir loft. It is a common belief that after the nuns prayed for St.Joseph’s intercession for nine days, a stranger appeared at their door, locked himself in the Chapel for three months, and constructed a marvelous spiral staircase entirely of non-native wood. This staircase ascends nearly 20 ft (6.1 m), completing 2 revolutions up to the choir loft without the use of nails or any sort of center support. The outer spiral is fastened to an adjacent pillar.
Initially, the Chapel was used by the female students of the Loretto Academy and its nuns on a daily basis. In 1968, the Academy and the Chapel, both were closed as Catholic Institutions. At present, the Loretto Chapel is owned by a private hotel owner. It no longer serves as a church, but is open to the public. However, weddings may be arranged at the Chapel with prior reservations.
- Address: 207 Old Santa Fe Trail,
Santa Fe, NM 87501
- Telephone: (505) 982-0092
- Summer Hours: Mon - Sat, 9 AM - 6 PM; Sun, 10:30 AM - 5 PM
- Winter Hours: Mon - Sat, 9 AM - 5 PM; Sun, 10:30 AM - 5 PM
- Website: www.loretochapel.com
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