When you think of Iowa, you probably think of cornfields and you are right. But tucked in a little city called West Bend, Iowa with less than 1,000 people is a Catholic gem, literally! In West Bend, Iowa, which is northwest of Des Moines about 2 hours and 30 minutes, you will find the largest man-made grotto in the world! It is called The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption.
History
Father Paul Matthias Dobberstein started building the grotto in 1912. Originally from Germany, he immigrated to the United States in 1892. On coming to America, he entered the seminary of St. Francis near Milwaukee. While he was in the seminary, he became very ill with pneumonia. While he was ill, he prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for him. He promised to build a shrine in her honor if he lived. He completed his studies and became a priest in 1897. Shortly after his ordination, in 1898 he was appointed the pastor of West Bend Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church and remained there the rest of his years. As promised, he wanted to build a shrine in honor of Our Lady. The purpose of the shrine was to tell the story of man’s fall and his redemption by Christ, hence the name Grotto of the Redemption. The first step was to get precious stones, semi-precious stones, and minerals which were either purchased or donated. Father Paul Matthais choose precious stones because their color is not subject to change like other rocks. He used petrified wood, malachite, azurite, agates, geodes, jasper, quartz, topaz, calcite, stalactites, and stalagmites.
Things To Know Before Your Visit
Address: 208 1st Ave NW, West Bend, IA 50597
Cost: It is free! They do ask for donations if you feel prompted by the Holy Spirit.
Hours: The shrine is open 24 hours 7 days a week. I can personally attest to this because my husband and I visited at 9pm, just before dusk in the summer.
Guided Tours: Tours only run through the warm months of April to October daily from 10am – 5pm. Tours begin on the museum just feet away from the grotto.
Gift Shop Hours:
- Labor Day – April 30th 9am to 4pm
- May 1 – Labor Day 9am to 6pm
- Closed during January for inventory
Stroller Friendly: To see the whole shrine, you need to be able to come up stairs. However, other parts of the grotto are stroller friendly.
Wheelchair Accessible: To see the whole shrine there are stairs, but nothing that accommodates a wheel chair. However, you can still see parts of the shrine.
Groups: This religious site is great for school field trips, pilgrimage groups, or other groups. For more information please visit: https://www.westbendgrotto.com/visit/.
Rules: They ask you not to touch the rocks because the oils from your hands breaks down the mortar holding them in place. If you forget, they do have signs displayed.
Where To Stay
There is a local campground nearby that opens on April 15th, weather permitting, to November 1st, weather cooperating. Call 515-887-2371 for reservations and prices. Hotels can be found in Algonac about 20 to 30 minutes away.
What To Expect
- 14 Stations of the Cross
- Individual grottos such as the Grotto of Bethlehem, Grotto of Nazareth
- Mosaics, Statues, and many precious stones
- Portraying different scenes in the Bible such as the Sermon on the Mount, as well as Adam and Eve
This place was a true gem and both my husband and I highly recommend that you visit it. The grotto is very peaceful. If you would like more information, please visit their website at https://www.westbendgrotto.com/. They also offer virtual tours on their website.