Saint Anne’s Chapel (Capela Sfânta Ana) is a small Roman Catholic chapel on the shore of Lake Saint Anne, in Harghita County. Dedicated to Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, it has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries, drawing worshippers from the surrounding Szekler communities.
The chapel’s history dates back at least to the 16th century, when a stone chapel was built to replace an earlier wooden structure. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the annual pilgrimage attracted large gatherings of Catholics who came to honor Saint Anne and pray for marriage, fertility, and family life. The celebrations were interrupted several times by church authorities following disturbances among the crowds, but the pilgrimage was eventually revived. The chapel itself suffered fires and deterioration over the centuries, requiring repeated rebuilding and repairs. A major reconstruction took place in 1927, followed by further restoration during the 20th and early 21st centuries.
The present chapel is a modest whitewashed building with a square floor plan, a tiled roof, and a small wooden bell turret. Its interior is simply furnished with an altar and seating for worshippers. The annual pilgrimage takes place around Saint Anne’s feast day on July 26, with an outdoor Mass and a procession around the lake.
