Grotto of the Redemption facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption
|
|
The main entrance on the north side of the Grotto of the Redemption
|
|
 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 300 N. Broadway West Bend, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Architect | Paul Dobberstein Father Paul Matthias |
| Architectural style | Landscape Architicture |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001679 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 2001 |
The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption is a very special religious place in West Bend, Iowa. It has nine amazing caves, called grottoes, that show important moments from the life of Jesus. These grottoes are built with tons of cool minerals and petrifications. Many people think it's the biggest grotto in the whole world!
It's also known for having the biggest collection of minerals, fossils, shells, and petrified items ever put together by people in one spot. The rocks and minerals used to build it are worth over $4.3 million! More than 100,000 visitors come to see it every year.
There's even a museum there with beautiful precious and semiprecious stones from all over the world. You can also see photos and items that tell the story of how this incredible place was built.
Contents
Building the Grotto: A Long Journey
The Promise of Father Dobberstein
The Grotto was started by a man named Father Paul Dobberstein. He came from Germany and became a priest in 1897. One day, he became very sick with a lung illness called pneumonia. He made a promise to the Virgin Mary that if he got better, he would build a special shrine for her.
Father Dobberstein did get better! After he recovered, he started gathering many rocks and beautiful stones. He began building the Grotto in 1912. He worked on it all year long, even in winter. This amazing project continued for 42 years!
How the Grotto Was Built
Father Dobberstein learned a lot about building grottoes from an earlier project. He used his skills to set fancy rocks and gems into concrete. This was his special way of creating the beautiful scenes.
In 1946, another person, Father Louis Greving, started helping Father Dobberstein. They worked together on the Grotto. When Father Dobberstein passed away in 1954, the Grotto covered an area as big as a city block!
Continuing the Work
After Father Dobberstein, Matt Szerensce helped work on the Grotto until he retired in 1959. Since 1994, Deacon Gerald Streit has been taking care of this amazing place.
Father Dobberstein's work even inspired other people. Another person who went to the same seminary, Mathias Wernerus, built the Dickeyville Grotto in Wisconsin in 1930. This helped start a movement of building grottoes in America.
On August 1, 2015, the Grotto was given a special new title. The Bishop of Sioux City, R. Walker Nickless, named it a diocesan shrine. This was the first Catholic religious shrine to be given this honor in that area.
Gallery
-
Entrance sign
-
View of Lower Arcade: Small Stations of the Cross
-
Station 13
-
