Legend has it that, in 1394, the house where the Virgin Mary was born was transported from Nazareth to a laurel wood on the Adriatic coast, drawn by angels' wings. Local religious fervour soon turned the Santa Casa into a place of pilgrimage, which Bramante later transformed into a shrine. Imitated across Europe, transposed in Prague, the Loreta is the site of much joyful activity. Be there on the hour to hear the bell chime in its large tower.