Description: This religious monument in West Bend, Iowa, is home to one of the largest collections of minerals and petrifactions in the world -- in fact, it’s actually constructed of them. The Grotto of the Redemption, situated in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City, is a conglomeration of nine grottos, depicting scenes from the life of Jesus, believed to be the largest grotto of its kind in the world. It’s also one of the largest man-made collections of minerals, fossils, shells and petrifactions in the world, with an estimated material value of 4.3 million dollars. Construction on the grotto was started by Father Paul Dobberstein, and continued year-round for 42 years before completion. Today, the grotto is the area’s biggest tourist attraction, drawing over 100,000 visitors a year.
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