Ave Maria Grotto, Alabama, United States
4.5 (411 reviews) Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #1 in Cullman Points of Interest & Landmarks • Religious Sites
Interesting site not far off the interstate.
Four-acre park providing a natural setting for 125 miniature reproductions of historic buildings and shrines created by a Benedictine monk of the St. Bernard Abbey in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Si se habla español! Piden por Esmeralda si necesitan ayuda :)
Address
St. Bernard Abbey 1600 St. Bernard Dr. SE, Cullman, AL 35055
Mobile
Website
http://www.avemariagrotto.com
Working hours
Monday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday : 11:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Current local date and time now
Thursday, May 09, 2024, 1:01
User Ratings
4.5 based on (411 reviews)
Excellent
61%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Reviews
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5jackkip 5:00 PM Jun 6, 2022
Such a peaceful place
This place was absolutely beautiful. It was such a peaceful setting. The works of Brother Joseph are amazing. It was fun to look and see how many common objects we could find in the tiny replicas. This man was before his time on recycling. Nothing went to waste. He saw beautiful in even broken items. My husband was amazed at all the marbles he used. They are everywhere. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. There is even a resident cat named “Abbey”. She followed us on our journey part ways. Then when we arrived at the end, she was sitting there waiting to be petted again. The gift shop is very well stocked. Lots of religious items. Even some food items made by the monks there and other monasteries. The day we visited, they had fresh bread for $5 a large loaf. It was very tasty and so worth the $5. I would recommend going early morning or later afternoon. I am sure the heat would be almost unbearable in the summer. Plus be prepared to do some walking up and down a fairly steep incline. Some with mobility issues, might have problems. This was well worth the stop we made. So glad we didn’t pass this lovely attraction.
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5LiketoeatCincinnati 5:00 PM Dec 26, 2022
Labor of Love
This is a remarkable collection of renditions of holy places and historical religious sites from around the world with a grotto in the middle of it all. This was a labor of love and faith by the people who built it. It is a wonderful place to visit near I65 and just outside of downtown Cullman.
