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Ave Maria Grotto
Description
The Ave Maria Grotto, known throughout the
world as "Jerusalem in Miniature," is located on the grounds of St. Bernard
Abbey, the only Benedictine Abbey in Alabama. The Grotto consists of 125 miniature stone
and cement replicas of famous churches, shrines and buildings from all over the world
nestled along a hillside in a landscaped area of more than three acres.
The miniature versions of world famous buildings and Biblical stories are the creation of
a Bavarian monk, Brother Joseph Zoettl O.S.B., who spent 70 years of his life at St.
Bernard.
Born in Bavaria in 1878, Brother Joseph came to Saint Bernard Abbey in 1892. After
becoming a Brother in the Benedictine Order, he developed his hobby of constructing
miniature shrines during spare time at his job in the Abbey power plant. On May 17, 1934,
the Grotto was dedicated and his collection of replicas moved there for display. Brother
Joseph built his last model, the Basilica in Lourdes, in 1958 at the age of 80. |
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