The Grotto

The Grotto (formally the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother) is a 62-acre Catholic shrine and botanical garden in the Northeast Portland neighbourhood of Parkrose, near the airport. The lower level, accessible free of charge, centres on a cave carved into a basalt cliff and contains the marble Pietà replica. Paths wind through rhododendron gardens and meditation chapels among the basalt outcroppings.

A fee elevator rises to the upper level, where a terrace garden gives views over the Columbia River and Mount St Helens. Additional chapels, gardens, and a meditation centre are on the upper level. The annual Christmas Forest of Trees display in December is one of Portland's most popular seasonal events, drawing over 160,000 visitors. Open daily; the upper level elevator adds a modest fee.

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A story
The Grotto was established in 1924 by the Servite Order — the Order of Friar Servants of Mary — after a priest named Father Ambrose Mayer petitioned the Portland Catholic Archdiocese for permission to build a shrine. The main grotto is carved into a 110-foot basalt cliff face; a marble replica of Michelangelo's Pietà sits at the back of the cave, framed by the rock. The cliff was formed by ancient Columbia River basalt flows.

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