All
I went home for the 4th to West Bend Iowa (pop 800), for my class reunion and to see Mom. WB is about 100 east of me. It is in N Central Iowa about 2.5 hours north of Des Moines and about 2.5 hours east of Sioux City.
On the 4th I went for a walk up to the Grotto, about 6 blocks and watched the prepartations for the parade. It was drizzling lightly.
The Grotto of the Redemption is located next to the catholic church on a block that is one block wide and 3 blocks long. I am approaching from the south.
This is the wishing well in front of the church.
In the 60s and 70s the wells always had water, coins and large gold fish in them.
A close up of the rocks.
This is the nativity inside the church. The large purple rock in the back is the 2nd largest Brazilian Amethest ever found.
I have limited time right now so I will post this tour in small segments, I took 60 pics that day. I am using a Picasa Web album and copy and pasting the pics.
Rich
Replies
All
Now I am approaching the Grotto itself.
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This is the Stations of the Cross. There are 13 of these stations and then 2 more stations later.
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Rich
thanks rich
Rich,Thanks for sharing this.Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
thats impressive for a town with a population of 800 !
All
This a detail from the entrance to the 14th station which is a grotto.
The 14th station depicts Jesus being laid in the tomb.
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The 14 th station.
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All the statues are marble imported from Cararra Italy and carved in Italy.
This is a closer look at the walls of the 14th station
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There are no fences or barriers to keep people away from the rocks or the statues. There is no cost to go into the Grotto and it is open and lit 24/7/365. As per the request of Father Doberstien.
Time for bed now.
Rich
Edited 7/9/2009 9:54 am ET by cargin
All
I am going to be weaving information from HVC's link thru the thread because it is easier to cut and paste and the info will be correct. Some of you may have read the links, but I know when I read posts I will skip over links. Sorry if things are redundant.
I have just passed thru the stations of the cross and now I am in the Garden of Eden grotto. I am walking towards the pond and the fountain. In the pic I am actually looking back toward the stations. The statues are of Adam and Eve being driven from the garden by the angel of God.
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This is a close up of the snake winding itself around a tree. The tree has never been completed. The iron post used to go alot higher and I think it has been cut down. Next to Eve you can see the branches of another tree in the rock. I am not sure if that is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (from which she took the apple) or not. I should have taken more time and more pics but I was in a hurry that day and it was drizzling. I quick snapped a pic and then shut the camera off to keep the lens clean.
This is one of the early Grottos.
This is the opposite wall from Adam and Eve. You can see the stations of the cross thru the arch. I saw that as a kid that thought of the hanging gardens of Babylon. The tops of these used to always have flowers growing and hanging down.
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From the link
The Artist-Father DobbersteinView Image
Paul Matthias Dobberstein was born in Rosenfeld, Germany on September 21, 1872. He received part of his early education at the University of Deitsche-Krone in Germany. When Paul was 20 years old he immigrated to America. On coming to America he entered the Seminary of St. Francis near Milwaukee to prepare for the Priesthood. It was there that he began to show signs of unusual artistic ability that was to characterize all the waking hours of his earthly existence. Read
The story of how the Grotto came into being is as moving as are the scenes it portrays. It is generally told as a fact that as a young seminarian, Father Dobberstein became critically ill with pneumonia. As he fought for his life he prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Mother of God) to intercede for him for the grace of health. He promised to build a shrine in her honor of he lived. Read More
Time to go to work.
Rich
Edited 7/9/2009 10:01 am ET by cargin
I'm enjoying the details in your photos. Very cool, thanks for posting.
Mongo
Thanks for the reply.
When you are doing a thread like this, a guy needs alittle encouragement so ya don't think you are posting to the wall. It's helpful if you know other people are enjoying it.
Makes me think of "Hooping it Up", "Farming Thread" , Slateman's threads, and Stan Foster's stuff amoung many others.
I am having fun getting to know and share the place again.
Rich
Rich
Maybe you could title it Grotto-Erotica or What's Your Grotto Motto? or take pictures in winter and call it Grotto Gelato.
Them Cat'licks sure are weird.
Forrest - it's all about the title
Great rock photos but speaking of grottoes, (tomatoes, tomato), got any of the Playboy grotto?
All
That wily serpent somehow didn't get into the last post. So a redo.
This is a close up of the snake winding itself around a tree. The tree has never been completed. The iron post used to go alot higher and I think it has been cut down. Next to Eve you can see the branches of another tree in the rock. I am not sure if that is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (from which she took the apple) or not.
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Now I am walking out of the garden of Eden Grotto still going north. So thru the stations of the cross, thru the Garden of Eden and now towards the statue of the arch angel Micheal slaying the dragon.
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The pond is used for ice skating in the winter. That is where my mom and dad meet in the winter of 1950. It is real pretty with the old fashioned street lamps around the perimeter.
The in the 60s wishing well below the statue always had water, coins and gold fish. The gold in the center is the small mosiac stones.
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I just came out of the enterance to the left. The entrance to the right (under the words Grotto of Redemption) is the grotto for Mary. There is a niche to the far right that I will show later in detail with the 1912 date in stone.
In the 60s and 70s the top of the grotto with Christ did not exist. All that white stone was added in the last 10-15 years. We could stand right behind that statue and reach around and shake hands with Christ.
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From the Link
The love of precious stones is deeply implanted in the human heart, and the cause of this must be sought not only in their coloring and brilliancy but also in their durability. All the fall colors of flowers and foliage, even the blue of the sky and glory of the sunset clouds, only last for a short time and are subject to continual changes, but the sheen and color of precious stones are the same today as they were thousands of years ago and will be for countless years to come. In a world of change, this permanence has a charm of it's own that was appreciated early in the history of mankind and remains to this day.
It is evident from his work that Father Dobberstein was a great lover of beauty. In fulfilling his vow to erect a shrine to the Mother of Christ he was determined to make the most of material beauty and to emphasize the spiritual beauty of the woman he had in mind. We can imagine with what love his heart beat when he found a pearl, warm glowing rubies and celestial hued sapphires to incorporate into the shrine. It was a source of great pleasure to him to gather them here that all might see and admire what he had done.
It was his purpose that others might see in the beauty of stones the beauty of the Creator and by being charmed and attracted by his work learn to imitate the virtues of the Mother of our Saviour. Father Dobberstein used a vast collection of minerals and precious and semi-precious stones in the building of the Grotto. Petrified wood, malachite, azurite, agates, geodes, jasper, quartz, topaz, calcite, stalactites and stalagmites are but a partial list of rocks gathered, purchased or donated for building of the Grotto. The many offerings of visitors have aided substantially to create this artistic wonder.
All
The Grotto to Mary and in my opinion the most beautiful. This is also one of the earlist grottos.
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The ceiling of the Grotto to Mary
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Another ceiling wall picture.
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Again
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A small detail of the future for Jesus and Mary, the cross, the hammer, the nails and the tongs to remove the nails.
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Another detail on the wall. Above and hardly in the picture is the cup for the blood of Christ. To the left is the grain, for He is the bread of life, to the right is the grape vines for Heis the vine and we are the branches. And below are the keys mentioned in Matthew and Revelations.
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Rich
Edited 7/8/2009 8:53 pm ET by cargin
All
The entrance to the Grotto to Mary. Note the giant Crystals on either side of the entrance. Even though this grotto is to Mary it is filled with references to Christ and his work of redemption.
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a picture straight up from where I am standing
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From the Link
Most architects and contractors would hesitate a long time before undertaking a project such as the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend. It is doubtful whether it can or ever will be duplicated. The sheer bulk of the achievement is startling when we consider that two men did most of the manual labor and Father Dobberstein did practically all of the artistic endeavor single-handed.
Dobberstein had an invaluable coworker at the Grotto. Matt Szerensce, whom Dobberstein apparently referred to occasionally as "my good right arm" began working with the priest as a young man. Graduating from high school in 1912, Szerensce signed on as full-time grotto collaborator, a career move ultimately resulting in fifty-two years of intense labor.
There are almost a hundred carloads of rocks and stones, the vast bulk of which had to be processed, stored, classified and handled many times before it found it's final and proper place in the harmonious structure.
No accounting was made either of the many man-hours of labor involved in building the Grotto or the money expended in gathering the stones and shaping them into a harmonious unit. This is perhaps because Father Dobberstein wanted the cost to be known to God alone.
One of the most amazing things about the Grotto at West Bend is the great tenacity of purpose the builder displaying in carrying out his plans. Indeed, it is the largest known accomplishment of it's kind anywhere in the world.
By carloads they mean train carloads. Remember this collecting took place between 1900 and 1912. He go into places and took stones and petrified wood before people realized how valuable it was. You would never get away with that today. In one of the links it mentions he paid men to go into Carlsbad caverns and remove stalagtites.
Rich
Rich
All
Just an update. I made 2 mistakes in an earlier post. It should read as follows.
I edited that post.
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There are no fences or barriers to keep people away from the rocks or the statues. There is no cost to go into the Grotto and it is open and lit 24/7/365. As per the request of Father Doberstien.
The Grotto is open at all times and the rocks and statues are without any fencing or barriers. You can reach out and touch most of the statues or the rocks. No climbing please. The Grotto is supported 100% by donations. I just wanted to make that clear because in an earlier post I used the word now instead of no. (late at night ya know)
Rich
Another amazing grotto is in another tiny town: Rudolph, WI. It is west of Stevens Point and north of Wisconsin Rapids. They also have one of the best cheese stores I have been in. http://www.rudolphgrotto.org
John
Thanks for the link. I didn't know it existed. I have known some others were out there, but not exactly sure where.
HVC's 2nd link mentions a few of them.
I looked though most of the site.
Rich
Edited 7/9/2009 4:38 pm ET by cargin
Also, check Dickeyville, WI grotto. (too lazy to find a link)
john
Here are the links. From the Roadside America.
Compared to other America's other rocky religious shrines -- Wisconsin's Dickeyville Grotto, Alabama's Ave Maria Grotto, Indiana's Ultraviolet Apocalypse Grotto -- well, there really is no comparison. The Grotto of the Redemption out-gems and out-glorifies them all.
Rich
Of no religious significance but memorable anyway. Had a great meal there as a youngster, on a family vacation about fifty years ago.
http://www.fishermensgrotto.com/
Edited 7/9/2009 9:08 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
HVC
I love seafood. That sounds like my kind of place.
Thanks for the link.
Rich
HVC and All
Back to the tour.
OK I am back to standing in fron of Micheal slaying the dragon, the pond is at my back.
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Now I am going to go to the left and see the Sermon on the Mount.
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All the letters are done in that little 3/8" square mosiac type stone. There is a wishing well in front of the Sermon and back on each side of the Sermon going back into the grotto about 15'. Again in the old days they had nice water, coins and gold fish.
In this picture you can start to see that some of the sections were built over the winter months indoors and then brought out and put in place.You can see square lines. Many other areas are seamless. if he did them in the winter and then reassembled them then he was very good at it.
You can see effervensce coming out between the letters from the concrete base. The back side of this grotto is the 10 Commandments grotto that we will go to next.
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You can see the grand arches on the left side of the pic. This is also duplicated on the other corner on the street side.
Now I am rounding the corner of the 10 Commandments grotto. This is a courtyard type area that is framed by the arches in the corners and 2 walls of petrified wood. This area usually has beautiful flower gardens.
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You can see the back sides of the stations of the cross and now the highest point of the Grotto comes into view. It is a cross with a copy of Pietà by Michelangelo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet%C3%A0_(Michelangelo)
Rich
Edited 7/9/2009 10:55 pm ET by cargin
All
Moses and the 10 Commandments. This is also a very beautiful grotto. Not a s much detail as the Mary grotto but stunning nevertheless.
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90 degrees to my left is what I believe to be Joshua, who faithfully served Moses and accompanied him up the mountain. He also represents the people receiving the law.
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90 degrees to my right is Jesus the fullfillment of the Law.
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From the Link
It might seem odd that here where scarcely any type of rock is known, not to mention any deposits of precious geological specimens, that this collection of unique stone should be View Imagefound. However, it is merely the play of divine providence that determined the setting in this particular place. This site was chosen because the Bishop decided to send Father Dobberstein to that particular parish, located in West Bend, Iowa.
Rich
All
A view of the ceiling of the 10 Commandments Grotto. It is really breathtaking.
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Now I have wandered thru the Stations of the cross and i am on the stairway up to the upper levels of the Grotto. In the winter this stairway is all ice and it is like a luge run. Great fun for kids.
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Below is stair way is an out of the way wishing well. Just because. No pic, sorry.
At the top of the stairs I have turned right on to a large 2nd story patio. I always pictured this to be a biblical roof top where the family went in the evening to get away from the heat.
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I am looking down on to 2 grottos that I did not take picture of. One is a nativity and the other is the home of Jesus. Neither is very spectacular. The angel is over the nativity grotto announcing the birth of Christ.
The tiled roof is the workshop area and to the right are the bathrooms. I have closeup of that later. These grottos don't have the beauty and the level of artisty that the early grottos show. I believe they may have been completed after Father Doberstien's death, but I don't know that for sure.
They could have been running out of precious and semiprecious stones by this time and they couldn't go back in a get train carloads anymore.
From the Link
Father Dobberstein was seventy-four years old when Father Greving was sent to West Bend to assume Dobberstein's clerical duties, as well as to assist with the ongoing building project. New to the rigors of grotto construction, Father Greving immediately envisioned the usefulness of an electric hoist and miraculously convinced his superior to introduce this device.
Passing the TorchContinued . . .
Up to that time all lifting had been done by hand. Dobberstein worked with Father Greving and Matt Szerensce on the Grotto of the Redemption for another eight years.
Rev. Paul Dobberstein, the creator and builder of the famous Grottos at West Bend, Iowa laid down his trowel July 24, 1954 at 7:25 p. m. It was as if God waited until the last ruddy rays of the setting sun had shed the last warm friendly rays over the twinkling towers of his Grottos and then called the tired artist home from his life's work. Father Dobberstein was laid to rest in the parish cemetery one-half mile west of the Grotto. The grave marker reads "Father P. M. Dobberstein, 1872-1954".
After forty-two years as priest, spelunker, and grotto builder extraordinaire, Father Dobberstein passed the torch to Szerensce and Greving. Though he fully believed in the radiating spiritual power of his work, he may never have imagined the magnitude of his influence.
Rich
Those are some seriously seriously awesome pictures, Bro, I mean this place is cool. I'd love to go see it personally I never seen anything near like it. I understand a lot more now, thanks for the explanations. You said this was like a hangout place for you? I love it. I'd definitely want to go see this in real if I could. :)Anyone know of other places in the States like this? I wish there were more things like this to remind us more of Christs' life and resurrection. Whoever built this Grotto deserves kudos because it's just stunning. I never saw anything like that before until I saw these pictures.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Willie
You said this was like a hangout place for you?
Yeah this one of 2 places you could access a pop machine after regular business hours. A guy had to have 15 cents though and that was a problem for me. So we would come up and play tag or cruise for chicks.
During the day we would go on the tour and listen to our friend Mary Jane (the guide) give the speil.
The drive in (with soft ice cream) was just across the street.
When we slept out in tents, then we would sneak out after midnight and head up there. Only problem was getting caught by Max the cop.
We weren't breaking any laws and there was no curfew, but he just like to chase us. I guess it was the only game in town for a bored policeman. We were scared to death of him and it was great fun.
Rich
All
I have a couple of minutes so I'll post some more pics.
I am still standing on the terrace area. This is above the Garden of Gesthemane that I will show later.
This view is to the east and you can see the back sides of the Stations of the Cross. You can see that Father Doberstien put alot of detail and work into the backsides as well as the front.
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I have now moved across to another 2nd story terrace and I am looking up at the pinnacle of the Grotto, with the Peata. Underneath is a cross section cut (and polished) of a petrified tree. Up close you can see the growth rings. That is about 3'-4' in diameter.
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Time to take DW on a bike ride. I may get back to this later.
Rich
I didn't read all the info on the guy who did this but I can't imagine him having enough time in his life to do all this by himself. Did he have help? It's absolutely amazing btw.
Mike
He had one helper.
When they needed some extra help they got some guys out of the bar for some beer and cash.
Local story is that he would get men after church to help left a particularly heavy stone.
He labored on it for about 42 years.
My questions are
where did he get the money to collect this volume of precious, semi-precious and petrified wood in the 1st 10 year period (1900-1910) of collecting? 100 + train carloads
Where did he get the money to keep it going and all the diamond blades to cut the agates in 1/2?
How do you build large domed grottos and then embed they ornate stone work into the ceiling?
Local stories say he would keep sprinklers on new concrete for a month at a time.
Rich
All
This is a picture of the last terrace that I was speaking about. It is just below the copy of the Peata. This was a favorite place for us to hang out and drink pop.
In the 60s and 70s the railings did not exist.
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Now I am ascending the stairs to the 3rd level terrace. It is just to the right of the Peata, but still below it. this is the highest point that you can walk up . I am looking back down towards the pond.
The light colored stone work around Christ is recent work. Probably done within the last 10 years.
I don't think father Doberstien would have done it that way. But I think they are probalby out of original building materials and they can't get the stuff like Father Doberstien used.
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Rich
All
This view is again from the 3rd level terrace looking off to the east, last picture was looking to the north. In the picture you can see the large dome and that is the 10 Commandments grotto.
The angel down the stairs is the angel from the Garden of Eden chasing out Adam and Eve.
Again the railings are new. We used to be able to go down the steps and touch the angel.
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Another view to the east. You can see the courtyard I mentioned earlier and the arches on the southeast corner.
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This is the back stairs leading to another grotto that I did not take pictures of. I did not have a real clear idea t the time what I wanted to do with this thread and I had limited time. In the winter these stairs become a luge run of ice. Great fun for a kid. No railings in the old days.
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Another view of the back stairs with the bathrooms in the background.
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This garden area is quite new. In the 60s and 70s there was a large diamond blade wet saw for cutting stone in this location. The blade was about 5' in diameter. Sometimes it was running and other times not.
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Where that playground set is now always had peacocks and other exotic birds. The swans wintered in that area.
When i was very young the campground to the north had a small train that ran on a track. The engine was probably 4' tall and 12' long and then cars for kids and adults.
Rich
He truly was amazing.
All
Okay it's Sunday night and I have some time to finally finsih this thread.
I'm circling back now to the Grotto of Geshmane. Here you can see that panels that were constructed during the winter and then installed during the summer months.
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These statues are Judas with the bag of money and Jesus Praying.
Close up of one of the walls.
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The face of Judas.
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As you see I can walk right up to the statues and touch them. The place is open 24/7/365.
The hands of Jesus. You can see the veins in his hands.
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Just outside of the Garden is a set of steps with these rosette stones. Keep off.
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Rich
All
I am circling around the highest point of the Grotto with Michelanglo's Pieta as can be seen from the back side. This is about 3 stories high.
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There are 2 grottos here that I did not enter for lack fo interest and because of time, but this is a shot of the amount of petrified wood.
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This is a bronze statue of Father Doberstien. He was a slight man of 135 pounds. Other pictures of him show him with his 2 St. Bernard dogs.
The bathrooms
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Now I am going to circle the pond and head home.
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Rich
Not really a grotto, but also quite interesting: http://www.stjoseph-shrine.org/ This is a teeny town northwest of Phoenix. The road out of Wickenburg through Congress is a wonderful sight; starts with desert and climbs a sheer wall into the pine forests.
john
Thanks for the link.
There are all kinds of these places. And they all have their volunteers who faithfully tend them.
It's pretty neat.
Rich
B/4 you get too much further in the tour, how bout some history on this place. When built? How long?
thanks.
A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
B/4 you get too much further in the tour, how bout some history on this place. When built? How long?
http://www.westbendgrotto.com/history.htm
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2083
Peter
Thanks for the links.
I had not seen those before.
Rich
You're welcome but you supplied the names, Google supplied the links. There are more too, when you have the time, though I suspect that they have much the same information.
calvin
I think HVC pretty well answered your questions.
I have real limited time right now. I had envisioned putting together a Word doc and then cutting and pasting all at one time over several posts.
But now I decided to to 4-10 pics at a time and give you the story and history as I have always known it. So you are just going to have to check back in for new pics.
I will probably misidentify rocks, and for that i am sorry in advance.
I grew up with this, and it was a place to play tag, get a soda, see people from around the world and just hang out.
Rich
No kidding, that is some cool stuff--I want to know more.
Mike
The white station is the crucifition.
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All the the pictures and the green and gold areas on the bottom of the stations are a mosiac of small stones about 3/8" square.
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Rich
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Cool, thanks for posting these Rich. I was at the Grotto when I was a kid, probably early '80s.
Hadn't thought about that place for years til last week, I was messing around looking at local attractions on my gps & the Grotto was listed. Then, oddly enough, a couple days later you post these pics.
Might have to bring the wife & kids down there one of these days - gps says its only 56.8 miles away.
Mike
Arcticcat
gps says its only 56.8 miles away.
That would put you about Fairmont MN.
There is alot of detail the casual observer would miss.
I hope you get a chance to fit it into your schedule.
Rich
I looked again -
GPS must give some things in air miles -
actual road miles is like 80 something; I'm actually near Albert Lea, I-35 & I-90; but it's still not too far.
Mike