In 1912, an Alabama monk began recreating landmarks he had mostly never seen

In 1912, Brother Joseph Zoettl began building a world of miniature religious landmarks in northern Alabama, recreating many places he had never seen in person.

Over an impressive 46-year span, Zoettl drew inspiration from postcards and donated jewelry as he created his intricate models. The resulting Ave Maria Grotto now displays 125 miniature religious sites on a beautiful four-acre property.

The folk-art attraction was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It continues to draw visitors as an unusual record of one monk's patient and imaginative work.