Grotto of the Redemption

In the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City's West Bend, Iowa, there is a sacred site known as the Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption. It is thought to be the biggest grotto in the world and is made up of nine grottos that each portray a scenario from the life of Jesus. It also features a sizable collection of minerals and petrified wood. Grotto of the Redemption is one of the Best Places To Visit in Iowa.

It features a museum exhibiting rare and semiprecious stones from all over the world, as well as images and relics related to the shrine's building. German immigrant Father Paul Dobberstein was ordained in 1897. He developed pneumonia and made a vow to the Virgin Mary that if she prayed for him, he would erect a shrine to her. He started hoarding rare stones and pebbles once he recovered. Beginning in 1912, work on the Grotto went on all year round for 42 years.

During his first grotto's construction, Father Dobberstein applied the information and abilities he had learned while completing his study at St. Francis Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin. He used expensive diamonds and minerals embedded in concrete as his technique. When Dobberstein passed away in 1954, the Grotto occupied a space the size of a city block. Up until his retirement in 1959, Matt Szerence contributed to the project.

Google rating: 4.8/5.0
Location: 208 1st Ave NW, West Bend, IA 50597, US
Phone: +1 515-887-2371
Website: https://www.westbendgrotto.com/