Witness 'Famous Parts Of The World In Miniature' At One Of Alabama's Most Unique Art Attractions

When you think of Alabama, your first thought might not be an abbey for Benedictine monks, but that's exactly what you'll find in northern Alabama. Just outside of Cullman is Saint Bernard Abbey. The town is about an hour from Birmingham, and an hour and a half from Dismals Canyon, an under-the-radar canyon that promises views without crowds. However, it's not the abbey itself that catches the attention of those in the area, but a small section of its land called Ave Maria Grotto, known for offering sights of some of the most famous buildings and scenes from the Bible in stunning display for visitors in a miniature style. 

The Ave Maria Grotto was created by Brother Joseph Zoettl, a monk from Saint Bernard Benedictine Abbey, the only one in all of Alabama. He was born in Landshut, Bavaria-Germany before traveling to the United States when he was just 14. There, he joined the monks. 

Though he was passionate about his religion, a back injury made it so he was unable to become a full priest. Instead, he worked around the abbey doing odd jobs like shoveling coal. When he wasn't working, he engaged in a unique pastime — creating miniatures. Interestingly, though his inspiration was global, he hadn't traveled much. Most of the miniatures were recreated based on pictures, such as Italy's iconic Colosseum in Rome. 

Originally, Brother Joseph Zoettl created these designs and placed them in the abbey and at the gift shop on the grounds. However, people enjoyed seeing his work so much that visitors came from all over to see them. The high number of tourists bothered the other monks, so Brother Zoettl ended up moving them to what used to be the quarry, a 4-acre plot now known as Ave Maria Grotto. 

People have been traveling to see his designs as far back as the 1930s, though the grotto wasn't registered as a historic place until 1984. Those who follow the trail in the grotto will come across over 125 miniaturized versions of different buildings, scenes out of the Bible, and figures. Brother Zoettl built his last model in 1958 and passed away in 1961. The grotto encompasses his life's work. He worked with whatever materials he had on hand at first, mixed and held together by cement, and later used materials that were donated to him as his work grew more popular.

One of the biggest attractions in the park is the grotto itself. Starting with a stunning marble altar covered in various tiles as the centerpiece, the eye is naturally drawn to the dozens of statues filling the space before settling on the main feature — the Virgin Mary holding her baby Jesus. Another popular set of miniatures is fondly called Little Jerusalem.

While people can visit the Ave Maria Grotto at any point of the year, Christmas is one of the best times to arrive. The abbey hosts a "Christmas at the Grotto" event that runs from Black Friday to the end of the year. During this time, the miniature figurines are intertwined with lights as music plays along the path. Additionally, the grotto features a fun Christmas Tunnel to walk through at the beginning and a temporary Santa's Workshop where you have a chance to meet the man himself. Food trucks, wagon rides, and kids' activities also fill up the space on certain dates throughout the holiday season. If you want an exciting and memorable experience with your family, this is the best time to visit, but if you're looking for something quiet and serene, visiting on a weekday at any other time of the year may be more ideal. 

The park does cost money to enter. At the time of this writing, adults pay $10 while teens and seniors pay $8. Children and first responders have a $7 entrance fee, and anyone under 4 gets to enter for free. The park is open every day of the week, excluding major holidays. On Monday through Saturday, visitors can stop by from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. while on Sunday, it's only open between 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

If you're planning on staying in northern Alabama for a while, or making a full day of driving around and checking out various destinations, you may do well getting a multi-attraction pass, known as All in One Tickets. They offer entry into dozens of other places in the surrounding area, including Ave Maria Grotto, Cook Museum of Natural Science, Cathedral Caverns State Park, Huntsville Botanical Garden, and Rickwood Caverns State Park. If you want to extend your vacation and head further south, check out Gulf Shores, an underrated coastal escape with a pretty state park.