CATCHING UP - GROTTO OF THE REDEMPTION IN WEST BEND IOWA

South Range WI (Low 37 Mostly Cloudy High 59)

Catching up on places we visited while we were in Clear Lake IA. 

Located in the tiny north central Iowa town of West Bend (population 800) is the Grotto of the Redemption, where you can witness "A Miracle in Stone".

You don't have to be Catholic to enjoy it, you don't even have to be Christian. This is an art lovers paradise and a mecca for precious stones and gems. There is so much to see here and we took so many pictures we decided to break it up into a few blog entries. The pictures really do not do justice to just how beautiful this place is.

The Grotto of the Redemption, actually a composite of nine separate grottos, each one portraying a scene in the life of Jesus the Christ. is the largest man-made Grotto in the world and contains the largest collection of precious stones and gems found anywhere in one location. The theme of Redemption gives unity to this sacred space.

 

The Grotto of the Redemption is the inspiration and life work of Fr. Paul Dobberstein (1872-1954), a Catholic priest. For a decade, he gathered rocks and precious stones from around the world then began construction in 1912. 

He built the Grotto because of a promise he made to Mary the Mother of God. While in seminary he contracted pneumonia which was nearly fatal. He promised that if he recovered he would build a shrine for her.

For the next 42 years, Fr. Dobberstein created hundreds of intricate rock settings that form the Grotto’s walls and ceilings, evoking a spiritual experience.

Matt Szerensce, a parishioner, and Fr. Louis Greving, the next Catholic pastor in West Bend, worked side-by-side with Fr. Dobberstein and furthered the work of Fr. Dobberstein after his death. The local community also lended a hand because some of the pieces were incredibly large and needed man and horsepower to put into place. Fr. Dobberstein was 5'6" and weighed 130 pounds, how he did a lot of the work was amazing to us. Here is a bronze statue of him erected in 1992.

Here are some of our favorite photos of the Grotto. Remember that each stone or gem was placed by hand creating this masterpiece. The statues are Italian marble donated throughout the years.

Like we said before you don't have to be Catholic to enjoy it, you don't even have to be Christian. This is an art lovers paradise and a mecca for precious stones and gems. We highly recommend a visit to this place. There will be more blog entries on this amazing place so stay tuned.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo