Italy Panorama

Loreto, Marche

Loreto is located just south of Ancona off the A14 autostrada and has a large basilica that is visible for many kilometers. Tradition tells the story that in the thirteenth century angels transported Mary’s stone house from the Holy Land to this hilltop overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Literature supports that the building materials and building style used in this small stone house match those of the area around Nazareth, however the timing of this house appearing in Loreto also corresponds to a period when many of the early Crusaders where returning to Europe, mainly to this part of the Adriatic.

Nonetheless, the Basilica surrounding Santa Casa is very ornate and on the inside the house has been encased in elegantly carved marble. The adjoining Palazzo Apostolico houses artifacts donated to this Basilica while the fronting Piazza Santuario and neighboring streets hold various shops and booths selling religious articles to the many pilgrims that come to this town every year.

Loretta is definitely a pilgrimage town and has the tourist shops, hotels and restaurants to support the throngs of faithful. That said it is also a livable town with services both in and in close proximity to the centro and with its tourist business this is a very clean and charming town. The panoramas of the surrounding countryside are a definite plus to this hilltop town.