The Grotto
of the Redemption is a
religious monument located in West Bend, Iowa, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City. A
conglomeration of nine grottos depicting scenes in life of Jesus,
the Grotto contains a large collection of minerals and petrifications and
is believed to be the largest grotto in the world.
It is also "considered to be the world's
most complete man-made collection of minerals, fossils, shells,
and petrifications in one place." The total value of all the rocks and
minerals which make up the Grotto is over $4,308,000. Over 100,000 people visit the Grotto
each year.
Father Paul Dobberstein was
a German immigrant ordained in 1897. He
became critically ill with pneumonia and promised to build a shrine to the Virgin Mary if
she interceded for him. After
his recovery, he began stockpiling rocks and precious stones. Construction
of the Grotto began in 1912 and
continued year round for 42 years.
Father Dobberstein used the knowledge and skills
gained during construction of his first grotto honoring Our Lady of Lourdes, while training at St. Francis
Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin. His method was to
set fancy rocks and gems into concrete.
In 1946, Father Louis Greving began helping Dobberstein with the construction. The
Grotto covered an area the size of a city block when Dobberstein died in 1954.
Matt Szerensce helped work on the Grotto until his retirement in 1959. Construction
continues to this day and has been maintained by Deacon Gerald Streit since
1994.
To see captions on these and view any of my other pics, feel free to visit these sites:
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2961281
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2961281
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