Cullman, AL: Ave Maria Grotto at St. Bernard Abbey

The Ave Maria Grotto at St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman is one of the most famous grottos in the United States. But it is not simply one grotto; it’s an amazing collection of grottos and also perhaps 150 miniature buildings–worldwide religious buildings as well as other famous architectural structures–built of rocks and numerous other materials between about 1920 and 1958. It is both breathtakingly detailed, and impressively expansive.

This amazing construction was the work of Brother Joseph Zoettl (1878-1961), who came to the US at age 14 and became a lay brother at the Benedictine St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman. His job stoking the furnace boilers left him much time to create miniature grottos that were sold in the Abbey gift shop to raise money, according to the Ave Maria Grotto National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form #84000610 (1983).

Around 1904, a small grotto to the Virgin Mary was built by the St. Bernard brothers, in a different spot than the current location of the grotto complex. Brother Zoettl either improved that original one or built another, probably around 1915. A 1915 article stated:

The ecclesiastical students took advantage of the holiday Tuesday to lay the foundation for their new grotto. Rev. Father Edmund is at the head of the work. He says it is progressing nicely and will be finished before the Fall terms of the school begins.

The Birmingham News, Feb 14, 1915

By 1921, a number Brother Zoettl’s constructions had been built, as shown in this photo published that year:

An article accompanied that news photo, which gave a history of the construction of the grotto and miniature buildings:

Holy City Produced In Miniature Form By Brother Joseph Zoettl. BY FANNIE ROSSON. CULLMAN, Ala., June 18, Special. One of the most frequently visited spots on the campus of St. Bernard College here is “Jerusalem,” which is a combination grotto, chapel and crib, built by Brother Joseph Zoettl, of St. Bernard.

After passing the main buildings of the college, there are walks leading southeast for a short distance to the Summer house of the brothers. Trees shrubs and Jong rows of evergreen bushes, make this an unusually attractive spot. Here at the side of a small cottage is located “Jerusalem.” It is a reproduction of the city of Jerusalem and is built on a round about six feet high. The buildings are perfect and with the bits of color eat tile, glass and colored cement make a most beautiful as well as interesting picture.

According to information given by one of the fathers of the college, the building of this interesting little shrine was quite accidental. At the rear of the brothers’ Summer house was a small mound of dirt. In 1904 a few rocks were collected and a small shrine to the Blessed Virgin was fashioned. Only in 1919, after seven month’s work, was the front finished as it now appears.

In 1918 there was added to the left of this grotto a miniature chapel…. In the same year, the idea of building a Christmas crib resulted in the present shine, called Jerusalem…. Temples and towers, houses and palaces were added, one by one, until all of the interesting places of the Holy City were artistically brought out in relief. While the imagination was given free rein, the foundation of the work is from the Bible- showing the Jerusalem as we knew it in the Old and New Testament. One or two hours daily were devoted to this work during five months. The materials employed were two bags of cement, bits of broken glass and and other knick knacks found on the college grounds. Of this kind, this is probably one of the most interesting, unique and original of shrines.

Because of Brother Goettl’s originality, his artistic sense, and his patience, “Jerusalem” will probably be the most talked of and most frequently visited spot to visitors of the college for years to come.

The Birmingham News, Jun 19, 1921

Eventually, the “most frequently visited spot” by visitors became disruptive to the peaceful routine of the Abbey, and by May 1933, a Cullman Tribune article mentioned a “new grotto, little Jerusalem and outdoor way-of-the-cross, now under construction in front of the main entrance to the college grounds.” The following month, a longer article appeared:

TO OUR FRIENDS OF THE NEW ‘AVE MARIA GROTTO’ Many of our Cullman friends, hearing of our determination to close the so-called “Little Jerusalem” to the public, have begged us to transfer it to the new Grotto grounds, thus preserving it as a souvenir. For seven years it has been open to the public. Since this has entailed an infringement on monastic peace and quietude, it was decided to build a larger and more beautiful Grotto, so that our friends could more easily visit and enjoy the efforts of our Brother Joseph. Hearing of our decision to close the old group to the public, many have persuaded us to transfer it to the new site. This we intend to do.

Our wishes are, that a deep, religious atmosphere will prevail at all times. Reverence for symbolic mysticism surrounding the spot, will beget the correct attitude and bearing. Cullman has a deep, religious background, and our Grotto, we hope, will stimulate a greater faith and love for the beauties of God. With this in mind, bathing below the Grotto is not encouraged. All noise and levity tend to dispell the meditative attitude of those who wish to visit and commune with the spiritual.

The Cullman Tribune, Jun 22, 1933

Following the move, the Lourdes grotto was replaced by a Grotto of St. Therese, the Little Flower (c.1935)–one of Brother Zoettl’s favorite saints–and his other constructions were moved to the new location, which was a tiered spot that better displayed the numerous miniature structures.

But Brother Zoettl didn’t finish his master work until 1958. At age 80, he revealed his final construction, a replica of the basilica and grotto at Lourdes, France, for the 100th anniversary of the St. Bernadette’s visions.

That Brother Zoettl’s first grotto and his very last work were in honor of the appearances at Lourdes seems fitting, a journey that had come full circle.