Ave Maria Grotto — Attraction in Cullman

I have seen signs for the Ave Maria Grotto along the interstate for years. I was curious but had not visited it previously. This visit was impressive.

We walked through the gift shop to enter the Grotto. The shop is bright, clean, well laid out, and full of items related to the Grotto and the significance of many symbols of Christianity.

The significance of Ave Maria Grotto is to see replicas famous events and symbols of Christianity from around the world in miniature. There is a 4 acre park that the Grotto where surrounding miniatures are displayed.

They are the work of a Benedictine monk of St. Bernard Abbey, Brother Joseph Zoettl. He was born in Germany and he came to the St. Bernard Abbey when he was 14 in 1892. He spent decades creating the miniature replicas and seeing the total work is impressive. His love of the religion and the significant of the religious events and the impression they had on him is apparent.

I have visited many of these places around the world from Monteserrat to St. Peter's Basilica, and seeing the miniature replicas and their accuracy is a moving experience. He was not a world traveler. The only locations he had actually visited were near his home in a small city in Germany and those at the Abbey. He apparently created the replicas from his reading and his imagination.

The walkway is fairly steep. It is not a long walk but the replicas are built in an old quarry and the walk down and up the other side could be an issue for some visitors who are not too steady on their feet.

Ave Maria Grotto is well worth a visit. The small price of admission is worth it. The items available in the gift shop will appeal to many Christians or those who desire to know more about...

Wheelchairs, walkers with wheels & motorized scooters are not allowed on the trail due to how steep it is in many places. It seems people have gotten injured with them in the past & the young ticket lady is simply doing her job in enforcing this rule. It would've been great to know in advance, we would have decided to visit a more disabled-friendly attraction.

The gift shop is the entrance.

It's really cool to think about the time he spent putting all of this together in the era which he lived. It's been over 100 years for some of his work.

One can see where disrespectful people were unable to keep their hands to themselves and the natural aging process as well but overall it's pretty amazing to think about all of the time & effort he gave to the miniatures.

The trail is such a beautiful walk in nature! (We went in early May - it wasn't hot & there was a lovely constant breeze. There's lots of friendly wildlife as well: blue-tailed lizards, anoles, birds, even a tortoise shell cat.

I don't see a return visit for any reason but I'm glad to have had the chance to visit once.

I didn't remove a star due to the lack of disabled-friendly access due to the fact that it was being visited in 1934 & to adjust to disabled-friendly would be to change a...

As soon as you begin wandering through the grounds you can see what a labour of love the Grotto is. Each of the sculptures made by Br. Zoettl is detailed and well crafted, using whatever he had at hand; the models are accurate and detailed. My personal favorites were the dragon hiding beneath the Fairy Castle, the cathedral from Mobile, and the huge Grotto itself. However there isn't a single sculpture that isn't worthy of attention. My better half loves this place so much that we drove from Baldwin County to see it, and it was worth the trip. The gift shop is well stocked and full of interesting items as well as homemade bread and the staff is friendly. The counter staff willingly helped me hide a statue of OL of Guadalupe from my lady so I could buy it as a gift and surprise her, and that made her day. Don't miss the columbarium / chapel left of the shop entrance (facing the parking lot). It's also peaceful and beautiful and candles and incense are there for prayer and offering (sorry about the Canadian currency I left in the offering jar...hey, at least it's waterproof)! I look forward to...