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More Smithsonian Searches     Who else has...     Zoettl, Joseph,     O'Neill, Patrick,     Woerz, Pete,     Schwaiger, Leo,     Sears, Monroe,     Unknown (Italian),     Religion -- Christianity     Religion -- New Testament     Religion -- New Testament     Cityscape -- Palestine     Landscape -- Foreign     Landscape -- Mountain     Architecture -- Religious     Religion -- Saint     Religion -- Saint     Religion -- Saint     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Religious     Architecture -- Education     Architecture -- Education     Architecture -- Education     Architecture -- Castle     Architecture -- Classical     Architecture -- Classical     Architecture -- Civic     Allegory -- Place     Allegory -- Place     Allegory -- Civic     Mythology -- Classical     Allegory -- Place     Religion -- Old Testament     Religion -- Old Testament     Architecture -- Boat     Religion -- Old Testament     Object -- Other     Allegory -- Place     Outdoor Sculpture -- Alabama -- Cullman     Folk     Grotto     Sculpture

Ave Maria Grotto, (sculpture). Artist:  Zoettl, Joseph, 1878-1961, sculptor. O'Neill, Patrick, 1887-1971, landscape architect. Woerz, Pete, contractor. Schwaiger, Leo, contractor. Sears, Monroe, assistant. Unknown (Italian), sculptor. Title:  Ave Maria Grotto, (sculpture). Other Titles:  Little Jerusalem, (sculpture). Scenic Shrine of the South, (sculpture). Jerusalem in Miniature, (sculpture). Sermons in Stone, (sculpture). Dates:  1912-1958. Dedicated May 17, 1934. Medium:  Mixed media and found objects, some painted; Figures: Carrara marble; Little Flower Grotto: Alabama marble; Ave Maria Grotto: colored stone, crushed glass, reinforced cement and marble stalactites; Ave Maria Grotto Altar: Alabama marble mosaic with limestone and Florida seashells; American flag: colored marbles and glass embedded in cement. Dimensions:  125 pieces. Approx. 4 acres. Description:  The Ave Maria Grotto consists of more than 125 miniature replicas of famous churches, shrines and buildings worldwide. Examples include the Pantheon, the Basilica of St. Peter, the Temple of Jerusalem, the Shrine at Lourdes and the World Peace Church in Hiroshima, Japan. Subject:  Religion -- Christianity Religion -- New Testament -- Christ Religion -- New Testament -- Mary Cityscape -- Palestine -- Jerusalem Landscape -- Foreign -- Holy Land Landscape -- Mountain -- Mt. Tabor Architecture -- Religious -- Shrine Religion -- Saint -- St. Joseph Religion -- Saint -- St. Theresa Religion -- Saint -- St. Francis Architecture -- Religious -- Abbey Architecture -- Religious -- Monserrat Abbey Architecture -- Religious -- Monte Cassino Abbey Architecture -- Religious -- Dormition Abbey Architecture -- Religious -- Church Architecture -- Religious -- St. Martin's Church Architecture -- Religious -- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Architecture -- Religious -- St. Scholastica of Subiaco Architecture -- Religious -- Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls Architecture -- Religious -- Basilica of St. Agnes Architecture -- Religious -- Basilica of St. Lawrence Architecture -- Religious -- Basilica of St. Domitilla Architecture -- Religious -- St. Sixtus Chapel Architecture -- Religious -- Bethpage Architecture -- Religious -- Annunciation Church Architecture -- Religious -- Church of Naim Architecture -- Religious -- Cathedral in Manchuria Architecture -- Religious -- World Peace Church Architecture -- Religious -- St. Peter's Basilica Architecture -- Religious -- Rotunda of St. Stephen Architecture -- Religious -- Monastery Architecture -- Religious -- Benedictine Monastery in Korea Architecture -- Religious -- Temple Architecture -- Religious -- Vestal Temple Architecture -- Religious -- Temple of Jerusalem Architecture -- Religious -- Mosque Architecture -- Religious -- Ascension Mosque and Chapel Architecture -- Religious -- Mission Architecture -- Religious -- Mission San Juan Capistrano Architecture -- Religious -- Carmel Mission Architecture -- Religious -- Mission Delores Architecture -- Religious -- San Buenaventura Architecture -- Religious -- San Miguel Architecture -- Religious -- San Fernando Architecture -- Religious -- Santa Barbara Architecture -- Religious -- Alamo Architecture -- Religious -- Pantheon Architecture -- Education -- College Architecture -- Education -- St. Bernard College Architecture -- Education -- St. Anselm's College Architecture -- Castle -- Castle Trausnitz Architecture -- Classical -- Coliseum Architecture -- Classical -- Temple Architecture -- Civic -- Tower Allegory -- Place -- Pisa Allegory -- Place -- Rome Allegory -- Civic -- Liberty Mythology -- Classical -- Vestal Virgin Allegory -- Place -- Babylon Religion -- Old Testament -- Moses Religion -- Old Testament -- Noah Architecture -- Boat -- Noah's Ark Religion -- Old Testament -- Tower of Babel Object -- Other -- Flag Allegory -- Place -- America Object Type:  Outdoor Sculpture -- Alabama -- Cullman Folk Grotto Sculpture Owner:  St. Bernard Abbey, 1600 St. Bernard Drive, Cullman, Alabama 35055 Remarks:  The Grotto, building replicas and other pieces on this site were created by Brother Joseph Zoetl O.S.B., a Benedictine monk at the Abbey, between 1912 and 1958. The main Grotto was build by stone mason Pete Woerz. Father Patrick O'Neill O.S.B. did the landscaping. The works were maintained and restored by Leo Schwaiger, who performed major restoration on the Tower of Babel, Noah's Ark and other pieces damaged by a tornado in 1972. Monroe Sears assisted Brother Joseph with construction. The Carrara marble statuary of the Virgin Mary, and Saints Benedict and Scholastica were imported from Italy. Brother Joseph began building miniatures as hobby, and placing them on the grounds of the Abbey. These miniatures made a great impression on visitors, and the Abbey's popularity and visibility grew via word of mouth. People began sending materials such as costume jewelry, gems, stones and other assorted objects from around the world. Working primarily from books and postcards, Brother Joseph incorporated these materials into future projects. By the early 1930s, the number of visitors to the Abbey grew to the point of being disruptive. The existing works were moved to an old stone quarry on the property which became the site of the main Grotto. The Gantt Quarry of Sylacauga, Alabama donated a freight car filled with crushed marble which was used for the stalactites. Construction and relocation of the Grotto and the miniatures occurred from ca. 1932 to 1934 when the site was officially dedicated. IAS files include the books "Miniature Miracle," by John Morris, "An Historical Overview of St. Bernard Abbey 1891-1991," and brochures from the Abbey. References:  Save Outdoor Sculpture, Alabama survey, 1993. Morris, John, "Miniature Miracle: a Biography of Brother Joseph Zoetl, O.S.B.," Huntsville, AL: Honeysuckle Imprint, 1991. Illustration:  Image on file. Note:  The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide. Repository:  Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 Control Number:  IAS AL000351   Copy/Holding information Smithsonian AmericanArt Museum Control Number   Inventory of American Sculpture AL000351 Add Copy to MyList Format: HTMLPlain textDelimited Subject:   Email to:

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