A Soaring Chapel With A Miraculous History
A striking edifice built in Gothic style, Loretto Chapel is one of Santa Fe’s most notable buildings. While it hasn’t held daily services since 1968, Loretto Chapel continues to draw crowds to see its soaring architecture and its miraculous helix staircase. Using only wooden pegs and hand tools, the spiraling work of art continues to perplex historians and master carpenters alike.
The chapel was once part of the girls school at Loretto Academy, serving as a house of daily worship for the nuns and students on campus. Eventually, the academy was shuttered and its buildings demolished. But the chapel persisted as a privately owned museum and venue. These days, guests can book the 139-person capacity hall for an intimate wedding under gothic spires and breathtaking stained glass.
