Plaza Level
Chapel of Mary
The heartbeat of The Grotto is our stunning 450-person capacity Chapel of Mary, with world-renowned acoustics for choirs and worship music.
Interpretive Center
The Grotto Interpretive Center opened on September 15, 2024, marking the centennial of the shrine on the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. Located on the plaza level next to the Chapel of Mary, the Interpretive Center engages visitors and pilgrims through informative kiosks, photographs, and artwork. The Center focuses on the history the Order of Friar Servants of Mary who founded The Grotto and who minister around the world. Other kiosks tell the role of Mary as the first disciple of Jesus, how to pray the rosary, as well as presenting opportunities to pray and reflect in The Grotto Upper Gardens as well as in the various chapels and at the various shrines throughout the sanctuary. Visitors can learn about the geological history where The Grotto is situated, along with information about the native peoples who called this area home. A brief video tells the story of The Grotto from its humble beginning up to today.
The Grotto
The Grotto cave is approximately 30 feet wide, 30 feet deep and almost 50 feet high. It was carved out of the face of the cliff in 1923. Fr. Ambrose Mayer, founder of The Grotto, placed a replica of Michelangelo’s Pietà in the cave in 1946. The statue of the Virgin Mother holding Jesus in her arms is made of Carrara marble.
Stations of the Cross
A circular path near the parking area leads visitors to the 14 Stations of The Cross. The bronze bas-relief sculptures were purchased by The Grotto’s founder, Father Ambrose Mayer, OSM, in 1930. Set in shrines of tufa stone, surrounded by trees, flowers and ferns, they were erected along two rising paths at the base of the cliff. The volcanic rock used in construction of the Stations came from Battle Ground, Washington.
