Casa Santa, Baroque chapel in Hradčany, Prague, Czech Republic

Casa Santa is a Baroque chapel in Hradcany that forms the heart of the Loreto complex in Prague. The interior features a central altar holding a wooden statue of Mary and is surrounded by relief panels showing Biblical scenes.

Construction began on 3 June 1626, funded by Countess Benigna Kateřina of Lobkowicz, who had bought confiscated Hradčany properties after the Battle of the White Mountain. The Italian builder Giovanni Battista Orsi, from Como, was entrusted with the work, and Cardinal Arnošt Vojtěch of Harrach consecrated the chapel on 25 March 1631. The foundress was buried in the Lobkowicz crypt beneath the Holy House in 1654.

The name references Loreto in Italy, a pilgrimage destination of importance in Catholic tradition. Visitors can still see today the veneration of the Virgin Mary reflected in the decorations and furnishings of the space.

The chapel sits on elevated ground in Hradcany and is reached via walkways that are straightforward to navigate on foot. It is best to visit during opening hours and wear comfortable shoes, as some access involves stairs.

Two wooden beams and a brick from the Holy House in Loreto are set into the chapel walls. The facade follows Jacopo Sansovino's design for the Santa Casa, with statues of Old Testament prophets and pagan sibyls on all four sides.