Loreto “Shrine of the Holy House of the Virgin Mary” Private Tour from Rome

Loreto is one of the most important sacred places for Catholic pilgrims in the Marches Region. Its history begins December 10, 1924, when the Sanctuary of the Holy House of the Virgin Mary was moved from Nazareth to its current site; this belief is supported by the research that recently has been carried out on the graffiti found inside this house. The sacred house (Santa Casa) has a very simple structure with three walls, each of them reaching the height of three meters, composed of sandstones and refined with a particular technique that was used in Palestine in the time of Jesus. This site is remarkable for its religious and spiritual values as well as for the artistic importance of its highly-decorated marble work. Pope Julius II commissioned Donato Bramante for the marble vestments, that was completed under the direction of Andrea Sansovino, Ranieri Nerucci and Antonio da Sangallo, the latter being the young creator of the amazing upper balustrade. Signorini painted the frescoes in the Vestry of Saint John, while Melozzo painted those in the Vestry of Saint Mark; both cycles are of extraordinary artistic skill. Pomarancio painted the Hall of the Treasury in 1600; tourists can still enjoy these masterly works of art. The late-Renaissance facade was executed in different phases, by Giovanni Boccalini, Giovan B. Chioldi and Lattanzio Ventura, respectively, while the three magnificent bronze portals narrating Biblical  scenes were cast on the occasion of the Jubilee in 1600, by sculptors from the Recanati School. The statue of Pope Sistus V, positioned on the Parvise, is attributed to the sculptor Antonio Calcagni, while the piazza just opposite the sanctuary features a beautiful 17th-Century fountain, and is accompanied by elegant lateral structures, e.g. the Apostolic Palace (most likely by Bramante).