It is rare for a completely unknown historical site to be discovered in the heart of a capital city. Yet this is exactly what happened at Loreta—in 2011, a crypt dedicated to benefactors was discovered there, its walls entirely covered with remarkable murals. Thanks to a replica of the crypt in the exhibition, visitors can take a peek into the underground space where no human foot has set foot since the late 18th century!

Unique Baroque murals depicting motifs of Death and Resurrection—allegories of Time, symbols of the fragility and transience of human existence—were discovered in the crypt. These high-quality paintings were created in 1664 using the al secc (dry plaster) technique in chiaroscuro—rendered solely in shades of black and gray. Their artist worked according to Flemish and Dutch graphic models, commissioned by the then-patroness of Loreto, Countess Alžběta Apolonie Kolowratová. The main scene, The Raising of Lazarus, was based on a famous etching by Rembrandt, which later inspired numerous artists across the centuries, all the way to Van Gogh—the Loreto fresco is remarkable precisely because it is a very early response to Rembrandt’s work and was created while he was still alive.

Don’t miss the replica of this exceptional space in the Loreto’s permanent exhibition!