Fall in Love with Our
Attractions
There ’ s a lot to explore in Cullman County , from the great outdoors , to our history , to our places of faith . Here are a small sampling of the biggest and best area attractions .
Ave Maria Grotto at St . Bernard Abbey
1600 St . Bernard Drive avemariagrotto . com
Easily the most well-known tourist attraction in Cullman , the Ave Maria Grotto is the result of the fruitful labor of Bros . Joseph Zoettl , OSB , a Benedictine Monk of St . Bernard Abbey . The Bavarian-born monk created miniature replicas of buildings from around the world using stone , concrete , and unwanted donated materials , e . g ., broken plates , costume jewelry , ceramic tile , beads , marbles , seashells , etc . Since 1934 , people from around the world visit the Ave Maria Grotto to see 125 famous parts of the world in miniature . The former abbey quarry is now the 4 acre park that the Grotto and surrounding miniatures rest upon . From Monteserrat to St . Peter ’ s Basilica , guests can enjoy this labor of love .
The serene and stately grounds of St . Bernard Abbey also invite reflection . There are scheduled retreats available on the Abbey ’ s sprawling compound of beautiful buildings for those who would like to stay longer .
22 Fall in Love with Cullman 2022