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Loretto Chapel
Categories: Religious Organizations Churches Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Churches, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
207 Old Santa Fe TrailSanta Fe, NM 87501
(505) 982-0092
32 reviews for Loretto Chapel
Review Highlights
"Beautiful chapel with miraculous staircase."
(in 7 reviews)
"very pretty & awe-inspiring - a MUST SEE."
(in 9 reviews)
"The Loretto Chapel is a beautiful work of art."
(in 3 reviews)
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32 reviews in English
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Review from Noelle D.
1/13/2012
Just to disclose up front that I have a special place in my heart for the Loretto Chapel. I was married here in 1999 in a (now) embarrassingly elaborate wedding complete with opera singers belting out Puccini as I walked down the aisle. The acoustics were absolutely lovely, btw.
To quickly sum up the story of this church - the chapel was built in the mid 1850s and has a choir loft that the original designer somehow failed to plan a staircase for. The nuns of the church prayed about it and a mysterious man appeared one day and built this amazing circular staircase completely out of wood with no nails and simple tools. (Interestingly the hand rails were not added until later) The story goes that the mysterious man disappeared without ever accepting payment. Some believe that the man was St. Joseph.
Whether you believe the story or not the staircase is a wonder of design.
Part of the package of having a wedding here is actually getting your photo standing *on* the staircase and let me tell you there is nothing like being scared to death that you and your brand new spouse are going to break an alleged miracle.
As frightening as it was I can say that I've had a tangible experience of the amazing structural design that went into this functional work of art.. I *felt* the coil-shaped staircase compress to hold our weight. I can still remember the sensation of stepping on the stairs in my bare feet (no way was I going to get on there wearing shoes).
The church itself is a gothic style which is interesting considering the more stark pueblo style predominant in the area. It is a privately owned museum now with a pretty nice hotel attached to it.
It's a great church honestly and well worth the relatively cheap 3 dollar fee.Listed in: Santa Fe
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Review from Pat N.
San Diego, CA
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
This chapel is a unique place with quite an amazing story behind it. The Chapel is a great sight and the staircase is incredible. To think that someone built it with their hands and some simple tools (excluding nails and screws and what not) is quite the miracle. And supposedly the man did it for free!
Oh wait, why are we paying $3 to see something a man gave to the chapel for free? That is what has me confused. To insure there are no missed opportunities, upon exiting the chapel you walk into a full gift shop...ATM and all. Holy Water: for sale. 2 different versions of the Lorretto Chapel story dvd: available. Magnets, posters, pins, portraits...on and on.
I loved the story behind the chapel...but all the tourism junk really taints the whole experience. -
Review from Terry B.
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been to some really cool churches through the years, and this one is right up there with all of them. To be honest, for the tourist like me, there's really nothing to see at this chapel other than the miracle staircase, but that's more than enough of a reason to check out this carpentry wonder.
Basically, you have a high spiral staircase constructed without the use of nails that goes from the ground floor of the church to the balcony. The story says an unknown carpenter agreed to the project, and just left without payment from the nuns. Who knows, and the original staircase was railling-less, which freaked the nuns out something horrible. So the nuns asked another carpenter to come in and construct the railing, again without nails.
A work of art and wonder, and fittingly in a town where art is so incredibly on display.Listed in: Santa Fe
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Review from Claudia B.
Littleton, CO
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Blown away by this chapel. If I weren't already married and were getting married and lived anywhere NEAR Santa Fe I would get married in this chapel. It's THAT beautiful and amazing.
They charge $3 to get in and it's totally worth it. WAY better than St. Francis Cathedral, in my opinion.
The big attraction here is the staircase which was built with no nails or screws or glue. What they don't tell you is that this staircase spirals for two complete 360 degree turns and had absolutely no handrails. I have no freaking idea how this mysterious carperter did this. That also adds to the drama. The nuns apparently needed a staircase to get up to the choral loft but didn't have room for a regular staircase or money to pay a carpenter. On the 9th day of their novena a mysterious carpenter showed up, built the staircase in 6-8 months and then left without a trace and without taking payment for his work.
He used square wooden pegs to hold everything together (which means he had to carve out the hole for the pegs) and horsehair plaster for the underneath (which was later tinted the color of wood). He used hot boiling water to get his pieces of wood to bend and curve the way he wanted them to. Unbelievable. They have since added railings but there is a photo of the original staircase. The walls, the windows, the altar...everything about this church is truly awe inspiring. I could have sat in there for an hour just marveling at it.
Truly one of the more beautiful churches/chapels I've seen. It's small, but has a giant impact. It's a MUST SEE!!!! -
Review from Shianne K.
San Antonio, TX
8/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a must see!! Santa Fe has so many charming cathedrals and churches! This chapel is unique because of the spiral staircase!
The story about the staircase is spiritual and fantastic! The chapel is amazingly beautiful. It is small and does not take much time to see.
Admission is $3 and it is worth it. It can get busy and crowded but all you do is look around and take pictures, so it is not that big of a deal if it is crowded.
Beautiful, charming chapel!! -
Review from Ken G.
4/7/2011
I'd heard about this spot for many years and it was great to actually see it in person.
While I am not an architect, this was a pretty fascinating piece to see. Considering its origins are still a mystery, it makes for a great visit.
Well worth the $3 cost to see the staircase! -
Review from Lauren C.
Scottsdale, AZ
7/13/2011
First off, there is a $3 charge to get into the chapel and view the staircase. Secondly, the woman at the front desk was not very friendly.
The staircase is beautiful, and the chapel itself has some nice stained glass windows, but you can view similar (if not better) stained glass windows at the St. Francis Church nearby for free.
This place seems to be somewhat of a tourist trap, as you end up spending five minutes viewing the staircase and trying to get pictures of it without tourists in the way. It is not worth the $3 to get in.
I'd recommend looking at pictures of the staircase on line and visiting the St. Francis Church. -
Review from Loretta C.
Tucson, AZ
10/21/2011 2 photos
Our second time to visit the chapel to see the Staircase in person. The mere $3 fee to get in is Not a "tourist trap" as another reviewer mentioned. I get goose bumps just thinking about the fascinating story of the Sisters of Loretto's answer to their prayers for a staircase to the choir loft. Be sure to look up the story behind the Miraculous Staircase.I believe this is one site that you Must See in person, even if there may be many other people (just like yourself) who also came to see & photograph this beautiful spiral staircase and chapel. Also a very nice Gift shop with many inspirational gifts and memorabilia.Well Worth Both your Time & $.
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Review from Robert H.
Oceanside, CA
2/8/2011 7 photos
Another stop on the road trip to Chicago, it wouldn't have been a proper journey without stopping at the Loretto Chapel's miracle staircase in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
My uncle Ray and Aunt Lillie had stopped here once before and explained their amazing visit to everyone upon their return. You cannot really understand its beauty without seeing it in person. Lillie had felt that being close to such a miracle would bring her comfort and calm. In viewing such a thing can help you feel closer to God in some way.
This amazing staircase was built by an unknown traveler that became an answer to a novena of the Sisters of Loretto. The central spiral of the staircase is narrow enough to serve as a central beam; instead of metal nails the staircase was constructed using dowels or wooden pegs. The wood for the staircase cannot be found anywhere in the region. The stairs had 33 steps, the age of Jesus when he died.
There is a sweet little gift shop where you can pickup religious items or a commemorative coin. While my stop here last only an hour, it is something I will never forget.Listed in: Monumental Sights
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Review from Jim D.
5/18/2010
People only come to the Loretta Chapel for one single thing: to see the "miraculous" staircase. The staircase is very beautifully made and quite astounding that it was constructed the way it was (without any nails). The story behind the staircase is interesting in itself. However, the addition of the railing 10 years after it was completed sort of makes it lose its charm and mystery. But that certainly does not deter the hordes of eager visitors from lining up.
No longer a church, it's now a complete museum with a $3.00 entrance fee. Is it worth a quick visit? I'd say so. Would I rather have my $3.00 back so I can grab two hot dogs with all the fixings from the vendor around the block? I'm inclined to say yes. -
Review from John M.
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a very cool church that is no longer an operating church.... It is an operating.... Uhhh... Well, tourist trap. So, one star auto deduct for that, Sisters of Loretto. If you can get past that and the megatron sized gift shop as you exit, this is a very cool place. The spiral staircase that was built in the mid 1800's is a minor miracle. It is built without nails and without indigenous timber.... Meaning the "carpenter" that built it showed up with nothing but his few tools and somehow built this architectural marvel with timber that was not from the area, according to analysis from a tree species expert. He then proceeded to leave unnoticed without accepting payment. Who knew, it could have been the "original" carpenter. Yes, a very cool place. Just try not to think of Disneyland as you walk out the exit and are herded into a gift shop........ Holy water for 4.50 a vial anyone?
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Review from Janice C.
2/21/2009
A small, beautiful chapel in Old Town which is famous for its Miraculous Staircase. Definitely a must see.
It's silly to have to pay the $3 admission, but just think of it as a donation to the church. -
Review from Rachel C.
10/23/2007
Clearly this is a place to visit if you are a tourist in the Land of Enchantment. The history of this little chapel is one of the most fascinating in the City Different.
And if you are not a tourist? Then, do as I did several years ago, attend a small local wedding in the chapel. Intimate and cozy for a small family gathering. Incredible backdrop for this life-altering event.
Although fascinating in its own right - the Chapel was built as a Gothic religious structure (fashioned after a chapel in Paris) - in a land of adobe & vigas - the most interesting thing about this Chapel is the MIRACULOUS STAIRCASE.
Legend has it that when the Chapel was built in 1870 the balcony was too high for a conventional staircase in such a small structure. The Sisters of Loretto prayed for an answer - their prayers were answered by a carpenter who arrived by donkey and built a circular staircase with no center support, no nails, nor any side supports. It makes two full 360 degree turns and has 33 steps - - which supposedly represent the 33 years of Jesus' life. The carpenter disappeared after it was completed - - without payment.
This Chapel and the Staircase were once part of a campus housing a Catholic Girls' School and a cemetery. Today it is on the grounds of a large beautiful hotel - The Inn at Loretto.
Just one block off the famous Plaza in the center of town, it is well worth a visit. Another strong piece of architectural history in the Land of Enchantment - - - - no matter who, or why it was built.Listed in: Santa Fe, NM
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Review from Anna A.
Napa, CA
2/15/2010
The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe is famous for its spiral staircase. Long thought to be the handiwork of St. Joseph himself for the devout nuns, it turns out that it was fashioned by a reclusive French architect. The staircase is a feat of engineering. It's one of Santa Fe's best-known sights;it even inspired a sappy,made-for-TV movie starring the man who was Grissom on "CSI" and Barbara Hershey.
The Loretto Chapel no longer belongs to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. It's connected with the hotel,requires a $3 entry fee,and on Sundays it's actually home to the New Agey Church of Antioch,which invokes the Cosmic Christ and intones "Om" over the Communion elements.
The Loretto Chapel is a must-see for anyone in the Land of Enchantment! -
Review from Megan G.
New York, NY
4/16/2006
Cool thing to see. The wonderfully sweet and funny man taking our $2.50 was wearing an oxygen tank, but this didn't slow down our witty banter. Being polite though, I replied in kind when at 5pm he greeted us from his seat with "Good Morning." Maybe he was teasing?
We were repeatedly reassured that we could take as many photos as we liked.
The spiral stairway is 22 feet high, has no center support and was assembled with wooden pegs instead of nails. It has 33 steps and makes two complete 360 degree turns.
Between 1878 and 1887 there were no bannisters! This was dangerous, so the Sisters requested bannisters, made by Phillip August Hesch.
Go here, it's quick, interesting to see as you meander through Santa Fe. -
Review from Lynn L.
3/17/2008
Beautiful attraction in Santa Fe! Worth the $2.50 entry price to see the small Loretto Chapel (supposedly modeled after Saint-Chappelle in Paris, on a small scale).
The inside is beautiful, and of course, the staircase is a true marvel. Well-worth the few minutes it will take to walk through! -
Review from Oscar C.
Arlington, TX
1/13/2010
Nice to see, but not worth the $3.00 admission especially if you have a large group. I spent around 5 minutes here and felt it was more than enough time to see the staircase and the church. It's a pretty little church, but nothing outstanding compared to other churches.
Since it is a Catholic Church, they should allow you the option to make a donation rather than have a set fee to enter. I suggest you buy a postcard or print one of the pictures off of this page in case you want a picture of the staircase without all the tourists in it, but as I said, nothing special here. -
Review from Tasha B.
8/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
Beautiful chapel with miraculous staircase. I was intrigued by the beauty, he was intrigued by how it was done. Definitely worth $3 and 5-15 minutes of your time.
Listed in: IT"S NOT A BAR!!!
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Review from Ali P.
3/30/2009 1 photo
The Loretto Chapel is a beautiful work of art. Yes it's small, but the inside is so charming that you'll want to sit there and just take it in before you even notice what the whole thing is famous for, its "miraculous" staircase.
It's definitely worth it to pop in and take a look, but for the $3 entry fee, I was really hoping to be able to climb the stairs to the top. Hell, if they let anyone (and I mean anyone) climb the spiral staircase of Sainte Chapelle or Notre Dame de Paris, why should Loretto be an exception? Well, I suppose it's worth it to preserve the stairs, but in that case, they shouldn't really charge an entry fee.
Despite the restrictions, it's a "must-see" sight in Santa Fe, so if you're in the mood to look at an interesting architectural phenomenon, you'll appreciate the Loretto Chapel! -
Review from John S.
Pittsburgh, PA
1/21/2008
If you visit Santa Fe and don't come here, you're stoopid. I mean really. I want you to stop reading this page and go take a class on how to appreciate life.
A must see for all visitors. I just stood there and erased that lame banister in my mind and wondered how in the hell the thing was built. It's a work of art that must be seen. I beg you to check it out. Please. -
Review from Kellie P.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2008
The staircase is really cool, but the speech about it being pumped in to the church via speaker is pretty cheesy. I understand why it's blocked off, but I was also annoyed that I couldn't get closer to take some more detailed or angled photos.
But fear not. The chapel exit is through the inevitable gift shop. It's about twice as big as the chapel itself, and has everything stair/chapel/God related you could ever want.
I'm a sucker for offbeat roadside attractions, so I'm glad I went. -
Review from Ya Lun W.
12/7/2009
great place in downtown Santa Fe area to see...it's $3 for entrance a bit much but think of it as donation to the church.
you'll want to take a seat here and take a moment to listen to the story or the the story of how the miraculous staircase was built the legend says was constructed or inspired by St. Joseph the Carpenter, was built sometime between 1877 and 1881. It took at least six months to build, and has two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support that's just one version of the story ...
then explore it front to back ...floor to ceiling as it have over 200yrs of history and mysteries
it's a great place to visit!!! I recommend it for all~ but if you're a thrill seeker there's nothing like that here it's a place of rich history and art work to admire ... during our 40min visit we saw a couple with 3 kids rushed in after paying the fee took 3 pictures then left ... lolListed in: Santa Fe
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Review from Eric B.
4/6/2008
The staircase is a marvel and the inside is worth that few minutes of spiritual wonder and presense (and I'm not Catholic).
Listed in: Northern New Mexico
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Review from Sarah M.
Brooklyn, NY
2/27/2007 2 photos
Very cool, the only thing I have to add is the 33 steps are for the 33 years Jesus was alive. Also, the architect or builder disappeared after he built it and was never paid. Cool piece of history to view. Definitely check it out!
Listed in: New Mexico
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Review from Janice B.
Fillmore, IN
12/27/2008 9 photos
This was the highlight of our trip! The church is really beautiful! The staircase is definately a miracle, built with no center support,nails or glue. A must see if you are in Santa Fe. The history behind it is very interesting.
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Review from Alden C.
Fort Collins, CO
10/26/2009
The chapel is pretty small borderline stuffy but the chapel is beautiful and that famous staircase is truly something to behold!
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Review from Cass B.
Parker, CO
3/18/2009
If the story behind the staircase is real, it's truely amazing. I wish I could go up to the choir loft (or whatever it's called). I was kind of suprised that they were charging to see the inside.
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Review from Brian W.
New York, NY
10/7/2008
Easy walk from Santa Fe.
Still costs $2.50 to go in - which is kinda silly since you could just stick your head in to see the staircase. The rest of the church is nice, but nothing really unusual or amazing when you get down to it. I believe it's a deconsecrated Catholic church that was built by a religious group running a school that eventually closed shop. Although apparently you can still have your wedding there if you rent it out. I am not sure who owns it nowadays, the city or the state or some private concern.
Interestingly, all the Stations of the Cross, the altar decorations, and other markings of a Catholic church are in place.
Anyway, in terms of the staircase, it's OK. It's well constructed, but beyond that, I can't really say it's a miracle or anything like that. In fact, purporting it to be so smacks of the schmaltzy. But check it (and its attendant touristiness) out for yourself. -
Review from Kat C.
Boulder, CO
1/4/2007
This place was nice and had great acoustics as we saw a concert here. Unfortunately the logistics of the concert was not so well planned. People kept interrupting because they didn't have a sign outside saying concert. So if you plan on checking out this cool chapel be sure to check the events calendar.
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Review from Andrew K.
San Francisco, CA
4/3/2009
Cool, but would be better if it were free. It's like 5 min of entertainment.
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Review from Lori K.
Santa Fe, NM
2/18/2009
Beautiful gothic chapel! Something to see.....wish I would have gotten married here!
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Review from LINDA R.
Paradise Valley, AZ
2/25/2009
very pretty & awe-inspiring - a MUST SEE :-)
