Ave Maria Grotto, Cullman, Ala.

My first reaction upon seeing a sign for Ave Maria Grotto was that it must be one of those roadside attractions you typically see in old comedy movies but rarely ever in real life, like a giant ball of cheese or the world’s tallest cow statue.

© Rob Briscoe | Flickr

We decided to stop anyway. It turns out I was wrong. Ave Maria Grotto is a work of art. The garden is made up of more than 100 miniature recreations of some of the world’s most famous landmarks. I’m not talking silly clay models, but meticulously structured copies of places like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Alamo. I mean, they weren’t exact replicas and some of the proportions were probably a little off, but you can tell it took a lot of work to put these together.

The employee was happy to explain to us all about the history of the Abbey and the man who built the structures, Brother Joseph. Walking through it felt like something you might expect to see at either Disneyland or in a museum; I’m not really sure which.

© Rob Briscoe | Flickr

I can’t remember the exact price of admission, but the website states it’s $7 for an adult and that sounds about accurate. It was worth it, considering I was more impressed with the sculptures than some museums I’ve been to in the past.

If you ever find yourself driving through Alabama near the town of Cullman, it’s definitely worth a short visit.