Miraculous Loretto Chapel Staircase, Santa Fe New Mexico

Do you believe in miraculous places? There is a small chapel located in the heart of Santa Fe, New Mexico that stands out among the adobe style buildings with a rich, mysterious and interesting history. Read all about the Miraculous Staircase in Loretto Chapel also known as the Santa Fe Spiral Staircase and see why it’s one of the city’s top attractions.

Many people visit the Gothic Revival-style Loretto Chapel, modeled after King Louis IX’s Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. But, the main attraction here is the much-touted miraculous Santa Fe spiral staircase inside the chapel. We couldn’t resist a peek inside this mysterious chapel during our visit to the Land of Enchantment to learn its story.

Loretto Chapel Staircase Story

The Sisters of Loretto opened the Academy of Our Lady of Light (Loretto), a Catholic girls’ school, in 1853 in response to a plea from New Mexico’s bishop to spread the Catholic faith in the new territory. The school grew to about 300 students, and the sisters raised $30,000 to build the chapel, which they completed in 1878.

The chapel lacked access to its choir loft, 22 feet above the main area, because the architects died early in the building process. Other carpenters stated that there was no room for a staircase.

The Sisters of Loretto did not like the ladder option. They prayed to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, for a solution to their problem.

A man, claiming to be a carpenter, came to the chapel, on the final day of their prayer, with a donkey and toolbox who offered to build the staircase. He completed the circular/spiral staircase using minimal floor space within a few months. He disappeared before they could thank or pay him.

The search for the man’s identity was futile. Some devout people believed the builder was St. Joseph himself who answered the nuns’ prayers.

Construction of The Miraculous Stairway in Loretto Chapel

The unknown carpenter built the elegant spiral staircase with wood and materials not found in the area, making it ahead of its time. It has two complete 360-degree turns built without using any nails, screws or glue but with only square wooden pegs.

There didn’t seem to be any signs of a central support on this 20 feet staircase with 33 steps. It was incredible workmanship and even more so of a free standing spiral staircase.

Over the years, many believed the Santa Fe spiral staircase, known as St. Joseph’s Staircase, was miraculous and mysterious due to its unknown carpenter and construction. It wasn’t a far-fetched belief.

The original staircase had no railings as shown on this depiction in the picture below. It looked pretty scary to be climbing those stairs. An artisan, named Phillip August Hesch, completed the railings 10 years later.

The stairway has withstood 125 years and though hasn’t been useable since the 1970s. The school closed in 1968 and Loretto Chapel became a non-denominational wedding venue and private museum.

Visiting the Loretto Chapel

The chapel was surprisingly small but beautiful, with most people crowded around the staircase. Seeing the staircase up close, it was hard not to be impressed and in awe of its workmanship. Though, climbing the staircase is strictly prohibited.

It was amazing carpentry and woodworking design considering the tools available at that time. Legend has it that the carpenter also used hot water to get his wood pieces to curve as he wished.

There was also a certain charm and spirituality in the chapel and it’s no wonder it has become a popular place for weddings. There was a continuous audio narrative of the staircase story which got a little off-putting after being there awhile.

There’s more to Loretto chapel than the spiral staircase though. The sunlight was shining through the ornate and colorful stained glass windows throughout the chapel. It added a colorful glow throughout the chapel.

The DuBois Studio in Paris sold the windows to the chapel in 1876. They were transported to this location via ships, paddle boats, and wagons.

The Stations of the Cross carvings adorned the walls but the Gothic altar with frescoes were also lovely. My kids, on the other hand, didn’t quite understand why people gathered around the staircase taking pictures and scrutinizing it.

They were far more interested with the carvings and stained glass windows. You can’t win them all.

Santa Fe Spiral Staircase Miracle debunked

Like many unsolved mysteries, time and technology have a way of uncovering the truth. Mary Jean Straw Cook, author of Loretto: The Sisters and Their Santa Fe Chapel solved the mystery carpenter’s identity in the late 1990s. He was Francois-Jean “Frenchy” Rochas, a French immigrant who was also an expert woodworker.

Ms. Cook found evidence linking him to another contractor who worked in the chapel and an 1895 death notice in The New Mexican paper acknowledging Rochas as the chapel staircase’s builder.

The wooden pegs, instead of nails, used on the stairs was an uncommon technique still used by some woodworkers. They adapt better to varying weather conditions than nails could.

It’s been found that the staircase actually has a concealed central support in the form of a very small inner wood stringer (the backbone of the stairs). The stairs were retrofitted over the years and external iron brackets were installed to help support it.

I actually preferred hearing the miraculous spiral staircase story and legend. It was way more interesting than reality. Though, the debunking of the mystery hasn’t stopped thousands of visitors from making the pilgrimage to see the spiral staircase and visiting Loretto chapel every year.

Many articles, TV show specials and movies over the years have featured the miraculous staircase. There are still may people who believe in its miracle as an answer to the nuns’ prayers.

Loretto Chapel’s spiral staircase has withstood the test of time and this historic work of beauty continues to be a major attraction in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tips for Visiting the Loretto Chapel Miraculous Staircase in Santa Fe

• Admission Prices: $5 for adults and kids ages 7 and older are $3 and children under 7 years old are free. Seniors over 65 years old are $4.
• The Loretto chapel is open 364 days a year except Christmas Day. Please call their office (505) 982-0092) or email them at [email protected] to make sure they are not closed for wedding services during your visit. Be prepared to wait for the chapel to be reopened in case it is closed for wedding services.
• Save some time to explore the big adjacent gift shop for some wonderful trinkets, religious items and memorabilia. Plan for at least an hour to explore the chapel and gift shop. 
• Visit the chapel website for more information.

*Have you visited the Loretto Chapel Staircase in Santa Fe?

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