Grotto of the Redemption, Iowa

A religious shrine built by a Catholic priest, the site consists of a network of paths, grottos, and caves covered in stones and shells, sometimes called the "largest man-made grotto in the world." The original builder, Father Dobberstein, worked on the site for over 40 years, before his death in 1954. Another priest, Father Louis H. Greving, then took over construction and maintenance duties of the grotto, until his own death in 2002. One of the most elaborate examples of devotional shrines in the country, Dobberstein's shrine influenced other shrine-builders, such as Father Wernerus's Blessed Virgin Grotto in Holy Ghost Park at Dickeyville, Wisconsin.