Highway 15, West Bend, Iowa 50597 USA
Hidden Gem
This place is incredibly epic. It’s a huge mausoleum of handmade abstract sculpture, and you can go inside and walk through it. The ability to interact with the grotto makes it feel like a more substantial stop, and you can easily spend an hour here.
The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption is a religious shrine located in West Bend, Iowa, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City. A conglomeration of nine grottos depicting scenes in the 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. The shrine includes a museum with precious and semiprecious stones from throughout the world, and photos and artifacts about the construction of the shrine.
Even if you're not particularly religious, the Grotto of the Redemption is absolutely worth a visit! If you visit between Memorial Day and Labor Day, be sure to grab an ice cream cone at the Grotto's cafe.
Fun fact: It's estimated that over $4.3 million of stones and precious gems were used to construct the Grotto.
GO! This grotto is amazing and the picture here, doesn't do it justice. The amount of shells and gems is incredible and so beautifully crafted. We stopped for about an hour wandering the different caves. It was probably our favorite stop on our roadtrip.
As we were driving through backroads and cornfields for 2 hours to find the Grotto, I turned to my sister and said, “This better be worth it.” Oh my god, it was! Beautiful, lovingly cared for and huge! So much beauty to take photos of. Some of the pieces of clear and rose quartz and geodes are enormous. Even if you are not Catholic you can’t help but be impressed. Though we were here after the gift shop closed, and during COVID, the bathrooms were open and clean.
Bizarre, wonderful, and well worth stopping. Learn about the life of Christ through each crazily detailed grotto, 9 in all. Even if you're not religious, you'll still enjoy the craftsmanship.
Weird place, but man, it's beautiful. You don't have to be religious to see the beauty in it, so it's definitely worth visiting if you're in the area.
This place is beautiful and very sacred. There's so many gem stones anywhere. It's amazing because it's depicting the life of Jesus Christ. The tour was fantastic as well as the tour guide. It's a must-visit
I was hesitant to visit the grotto when it was suggested to me but once I got there I could not stop gasping. It is so beautiful and the story of it's creation is inspiring to anyone, religious or not. I would visit again just to see it sparkle in the sun.
This park is right next to the church and the grotto. There is plenty of shade and 50 amp service. There is no water hookup or sewer. That’s why I give it 4 stars . The WiFi is excellent and the fee is only $20. The grotto is a must. There are tours and they only ask for a donation.
Definitely worth a stop! A true hidden gem that everyone should stop and see.
What an amazing experience. We stopped after the Grotto had already closed (after 6pm) but it was still just as beautiful. Since we were there at 9pm we were the only ones there, which allowed us to discover the grotto at our leisure. This is a MUST SEE! Even if you’re not religious, this place shows what one man (and his 2 successors) can create. Father Dobberstein dedicated his life to his faith and created the multi-story Grottos.
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