Beautiful and relaxing, but; they are NOT enforcing Social Distancing in indoor spaces and are NOT enforcing the use of Masks in indoor spaces. The Gift Shop is lovely but, tight. It’s small. I just picked up a baby toy dropped by a parent wearing no Mask in this super small space! My Husband and I looked around us, in attempts to walk toward the entry-way and were enclosed by onlookers of the products on display. The Viewing Room was beyond capacity, as if Social Distancing and the Pandemic weren’t ever a “thing”. We’re, officially, headed outside. They have signs up, but they aren’t enforcing the message printed on them. Scary. Jesus didn’t say to be stupid and throw yourself into harms way. That’s testing The Lord God, and the Bible speaks against it. They’ve got to do better..

Wow, this is a must stop. Particularly if you are Catholic, it is still a great stop even if you are not. The miniature buildings are awesome. Check and see if they have Monk Bread before leaving, its worth purchasing. We made sandwiches for dinner the day we went by.

Beautiful. Its a work of art. You go straight into the gift shop to get ticket ($8) then walk around on your own pace. Free parking!

As soon as you begin wandering through the grounds you can see what a labour of love the Grotto is. Each of the sculptures made by Br. Zoettl is detailed and well crafted, using whatever he had at hand; the models are accurate and detailed. My personal favorites were the dragon hiding beneath the Fairy Castle, the cathedral from Mobile, and the huge Grotto itself. However there isnt a single sculpture that isnt worthy of attention.My better half loves this place so much that we drove from Baldwin County to see it, and it was worth the trip.The gift shop is well stocked and full of interesting items as well as homemade bread and the staff is friendly. The counter staff willingly helped me hide a statue of OL of Guadalupe from my lady so I could buy it as a gift and surprise her, and that made her day.Dont miss the columbarium / chapel left of the shop entrance (facing the parking lot). Its also peaceful and beautiful and candles and incense are there for prayer and offering (sorry about the Canadian currency I left in the offering jar...hey, at least its waterproof)!I look forward to visiting again.

The self-guided garden tour was such a wonderful surprise. I was so amazed at the detail of the miniature replicas. Be sure to stop by the gift store before you begin and pick up a free tour guide pamphlet.

Interesting folk art exhibit. The gift shop is nice. We carried a picnic theres plenty of space to eat outside.

Worth the stop. Kids thoroughly enjoyed it.Make sure you grab some bread, and cookies if theyve got them! Fantastic.

Absolutely amazing! Great place for the whole family! Beautiful work done by brother joseph.

Very unique attraction. Really great story to tell about Brother Joseph and all of his work. Happy to see that it is being preserved for all to see.

Amazing place, the hard work and dedication put into every piece of art in this shrine is astonishing. The bookstore is crammed full of useful and engaging books to help you grow in your Catholic faith. They also carry every chaplet and devotional you could ever want/ need.

Beautiful place.

Spectacular miniatures of famous places, and shrines. Christmas lights are beautiful.

It is beautiful. So many things to look at. Awesome gift shop.

If you have time to stop, please do. Unfortunately we had to rush through it..give yourself at least an hour to walk through and really soak it in.

Such a wonderful place to visit and take your family. I have gone to the Grotto over the years and enjoy it each time I visit. As a child, I remember it taking forever to go through and view the small buildings. Years later when I took my child it seems to take only minutes. Funny how the time differs from being a child to an adult. It is a sweet and calming place to visit. A place for lasting memories.

What an interesting place! Im not a religious person but the dedication and creativity is worth the visit alone. If youre passing through, give it a look!

Was a beautiful place to visit to learn knowledge and faith Thank You

I am so glad I got to visit the Grotto. Father Joseph obviously was a very unique and special person. His devotion was incredible. I wish I could have known him. This visit was well worth the cost of admission.

A wonderful time-killer by all standards; the grotto itself is full of beautiful art by the esteemed Brother Joseph depicting various locations around the world and gorgeous nativities created inside of caves. The gift shop has much to offer, including the bread the monks are known for making (which was, of course, delicious.) If youre someone who likes sightseeing, nature, and calm detours, the Ave Maria Grotto is certainly the place for you.

It is just amazing what can created with what you have available to you.

The upkeep is a little lacking. Which is disappointing considering how ornate and beautiful each piece is. I am grateful to have beheld such detailed homages.

Worth the stop. Not catholic but enjoyed the walk around seeing the interesting way miniatures of famous (and some unknown to me) structures are represented.

Very nice place to visit. Lots of well crafted sculptures to view. All a very detailed and taken care of. Its not a long walk and all of it is paved. Rails are in place to keep people away from the art. If your children dont listen well I wouldnt recommend this for you. The sculptures are NOT toys. But otherwise it is a very nice grotto and worth stopping by. They have a small gift shop as well for any wanting a souvenir.

No place like it! Spiritual calm feeling! Amazing! Bring your camera! Dont want to miss it!

All I can say about this place is WOW!!! Well definitely be back when its open...

A hidden gem in North Alabama. Great place to visit even if youre not Christian.

AMAZING creations! The monk bread was delicious. A beautiful walkway of the world!

AMAZING!!!! WE LOVED IT!!!!! So peaceful and the miniatures were fascinating. The grounds are gorgeous and well maintained. Take the time to sit and enjoy your surroundings. Look around and absorb the foliage and listen to the birds. I wish I lived closer. I would visit every chance I got!!!

Words cannot describe how amazing this place is.

This was amazing. Great detail. I would have rated 5 but it does need some attention with weeds. But worth the stop.

This was an inspiring place to take a moment and reflect on Brother Josephs dedication to the monastic life and our Lord Jesus Christ. Some amazing detailed replicas of both Christian and American places of honor. The staff was friendly and we definitely enjoyed the fresh baked bread prepared in the monastery.

Very neat little escape from the more routine tourist trap scenery. Economical, relaxing and serene are good words for it. Educational if youre not super familiar with the Catholic faith and the history of Christianity. I admire the talent and devotion that Brother Joseph showed to his faith and the fruits of his labor. Over 40 years of artistic and spiritual evolution can be seen in his works... Lots of little hidden gems inside the pieces as well. I really loved the concept of him recycling and upcycling random objects, refuse, and garbage into his works before it was even a thing to do.Overall, a fun way to spend a couple hours.Gift shop has some unique items, some at reasonable pricing some higher.Still havent figured out why there is one singular print of Egyptian Eye of Horus or Osiris... Is this like a Yin/Yang type of concept

I have been visiting since I moved to Alabama in 1996. It’s a place everyone needs to go. If you need peace in your life this is where you need to be. It is such a holy place. It’s takes me away to a spiritual realm that is healing. Amen

This is an amazing place! Brother Joseph spent a lifetime commemorating important places and events. From the birth of Christ to the Roman colliseum and beyond it is amazing.More than the craftsmanship of the art itself the spirit of the place seeps into you as you travel around the exhibits. We all left feeling much more I. Touch with God than we did when we arrived.

Thus was a very nice place to visit needs some cleaning up of attraction though but nice

Very interesting place. One to two hours is plenty of to see everything.

Really interesting miniatures worth the visit.

Amazing replicas of landmarks throughout the world, created by a man without any formal art training or engineering acumen. This place is worth the trip. The monks will offer to show you a short video presentation before your walk through the grotto. Watch it.

Loved it, amazing experience and very nice gift shop.

The history is incredible. All the miniatures. Wow

I had this on my list of things to do for many yrs. Im glad I finally had the time to stop for a visit. I cannot recommend this anyone for a stop nor can I advise to not stop... I can say that I am looking forward to doing some research on some of the things that were stated in regards to some of the displays. Intriguing is the best word I can find to describe this particular stop...

Beautiful work. Worth at least coming one time

Great experience. We took our 3 year old to see the sculptures. He enjoyed it. The paths were nice and clear of any obstacles. Another group was also there with a wheel chair. So everything was wheel chair accessible. They had a very nice gift shop as well, and a guest book to sign at the end of the tour. Everything we labeled as to when they were created and what they were. Great place to visit low cost great sculptures.

Nice and peaceful

Amazing! A wonderful place to visit! So peaceful!

Stone and concrete work from monk Joseph Zoettl. Recreating miniature scenes from the holy Land, German castles, Jerusalem and an assortment of many other sites around the world. This would normally take just a few minutes to walk the path but impossible task with all there is to see with all the details. You must do one step at a time and marvel at how he used the things he found to each scene. Very interesting. Work of art. If youre in the area it is certainly a must see stop. Highly recommend.

This is pretty cool really wasnt expecting a lot out of this place but I was wrong. I loved it. Its pretty cool how one man made all of this.

Tranquil and serene..... become mesmerized by the attention to detail each structure exhibits. The icy shop is full of unique treasures and delicious homemade goodies!

Very inspirational. Be sure to visit in the cool of the day so you can take your time. The gift shop has some great coffee and bread made by the monks.

So fun to check out! Lots of food for thought.

Loved it...was far more than I expected!

The ex and I took a 3 hour trip to see this place. It was not what I expected but it was pretty cool for what it was. This monk from the fifties made miniatures of holy places around the world. He done a really good job on creating them. Its not free to see them however . Turns out that it costs $8 per person to take this unguided tour. I do recommend going. Especially if your religious. Honestly I loved seeing the actual life size cathedral and buildings on the property more than the miniatures. Before you go just know that you cannot pet or feed the monies. Cant miss them. They will be in black robes. Possibly with their hands in a praying position .

Even though it was raining, we didn’t care. What extraordinary work! That is unbelievable, I never saw anything like that in my life! I know that the art is religious, but the sites are very well-known, across the world. The art shows replicas of famous religious sites,

Nice stop, great story about Brother Joseph and his world in miniature. Beautiful grounds and pretty stroll to view all of Br. Joes work. They have free parking, and a gift shop with lots of items, books rosaries, and home made bread. The bathrooms are inside and are very clean. They have a water fountain as well.

Amazing place. Very peaceful to stroll through and look at the beautiful work.

The Ave Maria Grotto is located in Cullman Alabama on the Grounds of St. Bernard Abby. The creations are the handiwork of Brother Joseph Zoetl, OSB. There are 125 miniature structures made from concrete, discarded glass, and other items collected from trash depicting Biblical events and Holy places from around the world. Walk the well maintained path and be amazed by the beautiful art and imagination of the artist. Chipmunks scurry through the underbrush, so watch for them and the Chipmunk Crossing on the path. We felt a sense of peace and joy as we wandered through the Grotto.There is a small admission to walk the path. The gift shop and store is very clean with many items and books. We visit on one of the days that Monks Bread was available. Needless to say left with two loaves.We feel this is a place one should definitely visit. We plan another trip when the Grotto is in bloom.

A little too pricey for admission for what you get. But it is understandable when that is their only profit.

This place is beautiful. So many details. Make sure you take the entire day to enjoy it.

Beautiful place amazing things to look at took family there to see it they love it

Beautiful and unique attraction. This place has an interesting history and beautiful attraction. Plan to spend about 30 minutes to an hour just in observation and reflection.A true work of art.

Beautiful place. So peaceful and quiet, and the sculptures are amazing!

The best, unbelievable stone work.

It was absolutely gorgeous. Lots of history.

Fabulous a real must see

Another must-visit for anyone seeking the beauty and history Alabama has to offer.

I thought the Ave Maria Grotto was interesting. The art work was okay. It was a nice walk in the shade.

Truly appreciate the effort of putting this all together. Would love to being able to get closer to some of the displays to photograph them. But I guess thats my problem right?

MARVELOUS works of art!

A great place to visit, friendly staff

Really cool find, We were at the BBQ and Blues fest too, but the grotto was interesting.

Simply amazing!! So beautiful!!

Wonderful works of art and monuments so unique a must see place

Very unusual. Great place

It was just amazing & went doing blues and BBQ weekend and had a wonderfultime

Very interesting and beautiful! It’s incredible what bro Joseph made with very simple tools and no training. We spent so much time in the garden, we didn’t have a chance to see the cemetery or other things on the grounds. A second trip will be planned soon! Monk bread is delicious!

Absolutely a must see

Amazing mini-sculptures! This is. “Must See” when you’re in the area!

This is part of the St Bernard campus and very easy to get in and out of. It attracts visitors from all over the world. Definitely worth seeing if you are in the area.

This tour is a unique place (see website link). It was much more expansive than we imagined and the details were astonishing. The admission cost was reasonable and they give a detailed walking guide. The stroll through the display is a lovely setting and very peaceful. The path is paved and handicap accessible. We had kids ranging from 8 to 75 and they kept interest....it is probably helpful that the kids can read. It took us about an hour to walk through, but there is so much detail you could easily go again and spot things you missed the first time. We were also able to see the grounds of the prep school, church, and graveyard. It was a very nice outing

Well worth the time and trip! The place to go for peace, prayers and quiet. Love this place!️️

We were visiting family in Huntsville and decided to take a drive down, we were not disappointed! The artistic work and such detail is amazing! Definitely worth a visit! The staff was very friendly too. We purchase a groupon and saves a little money.

Ave Maria Grotto is an unusual and different place. It was definitely worth visiting once. We happened to spend the night in Cullman between vacation stop points, and saw a flyer for the grotto. It has numerous (~200) miniatures of historical and religious landmarks, which were elaborately built over a period of many many years. They are arranged in a garden-type setting that you can walk through and enjoy. My wife and I found it interesting and enjoyed our walk-through which took about 45 minutes. Some of the miniatures are getting somewhat weather-worn, although we could also see they are working on maintaining and repainting/rebuilding them. Admission was nominal (less than $5 per person), and we were glad we went.

A place to appreciate.

Went as a child. Just went again with daugher. Amazing.

Great place to visit.

Good place to take a stroll

Ive rarely had artwork move me to tears, this place is amazing. At $8.00 per visitor, it is well worth it. I will be going again.

Very nice attraction, personable employees.

Definitely a must see place in Alabama

Highly recommended. During Xmas period it even looks great with the lights.

Wow! The artwork is great. Outdoors but well shaded with mature trees. The admission is already reasonable and they offer discounts on top of that . Well worth the trip.

Very beautiful. Also, check out gift shop unique items.

I have been several times and will go again. Amazing!

Ave Maria Grotto was very impressive. If you are in the area, its definitely worth the stop.

Neat collection of building replicas of the holy lands and other places.

Went back in summer it is wonderful place to visit. Everyone should try to visit. The gift shop is excellent.

My best friend lived in Cullman briefly and I told her we HAD to visit the grotto since I hadnt seen it since I was little. Its such a unique special place. I absolutely loved it!

This place is nothing short of absolutely inspiring and amazing. Its somewhere that you can go and spend as little as a few moments walking through or I imagine a few hours. Maybe even days. Its a spiritual pilgrimage in and of itself and is definitely worth the trip. The lifes work of brother Joseph is as unique and heartfelt as it comes. Ill be back with others soon! Thank you!

Its a lovely place

Its an amazing experience. Very calming and soothing. Get in touch with mother nature amd your spiritual side. Its not a long walk. But it is enjoyable.