Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
6 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
7 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
8 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Wisconsin Sparta Wegner Grotto

Wegner Grotto

Homemade outdoor church and sculpture garden decorated with glass shards.

Sparta, Wisconsin

Added By
ser flac
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  BE / Atlas Obscura User
“50th Anniversary wedding cake”   BE / Atlas Obscura User
  jen lukehart
  jen lukehart
  jen lukehart
  jen lukehart
  jen lukehart
  jen lukehart
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

7788 Daylight RdIn 1929, Paul and Matilda Wegner retired to their farm outside Cataract, Wisconsin. Although neither was an artist by trade, they were inspired, after seeing a home-made grotto in Dickeyville, to create a sculpture garden that would attract visitors from across the United States.

With a framework in mind, they began construction on a sculpture complex that would be both eye-catching and unique. Although the centerpiece of their work is the glass church, a small chapel covered in recycled glass shards, the Wegners also produced sculptures that were not remotely religious.

For the next seven years, the Wegners worked tirelessly on the grotto, building concrete replicas of their 50th wedding anniversary cake and the Bremen ocean liner. Following the style dictated by the glass church, they used the pieces of thousands of broken dishes, china and bottles to give their creations a vibrant and colorful touch.

In 1936, Paul passed away and had his funeral held inside of the glass church he created. Since that time, the grotto has been kept up by the Wegner family, and an endowment now exists to ensure its existence for years to come. Besides the average tourist stopping by this roadside complex, the Wegner Grotto is also available to book for weddings, and many couples have tied the knot inside the glass church.

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Follies And Grottoes Outsider Architecture Architecture

Community Contributors

Added By

serflac

Edited By

jenlukehart, Collector of Experiences, BE, jenniferonmars

  • jenlukehart
  • Collector of Experiences
  • BE
  • jenniferonmars

Published

December 9, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Wegner Grotto
7788 Daylight Rd
Sparta, Wisconsin, 54670
United States
44.060932, -90.867433
Get Directions

Nearby Places

FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard

Sparta, Wisconsin

miles away

Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bicycle Museum

Sparta, Wisconsin

miles away

Sunny the Sunfish

Onalaska, Wisconsin

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sparta

Sparta

Wisconsin

Places 3

Nearby Places

FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard

Sparta, Wisconsin

miles away

Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bicycle Museum

Sparta, Wisconsin

miles away

Sunny the Sunfish

Onalaska, Wisconsin

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sparta

Sparta

Wisconsin

Places 3

Related Places

  • A modern-day view of the stone house

    Alcolea del Pinar, Spain

    Casa de Piedra (Stone House)

    An impressive home made of stone, carved more than a century ago.

  • La Pobla de Lillet, Spain

    Artigas Gardens

    Famed architect Antoni Gaudi built this generous thank you gift to a friendly host who housed him during a job.

  • Inside the tunnels of Kariz-e-Kish.

    Kish, Iran

    Kariz-e-Kish

    Hydraulic systems in an ancient underground Iranian city.

  • Tucson, Arizona

    Valley of the Moon

    The Magical World of George Phar Legler.

  • The largest 24-karat gold plated object in existence.

    Wadsworth, Illinois

    Onan's Gold Pyramid House

    A six-story-tall golden pyramid, surrounded by a moat.

  • Gwynedd, Wales

    Portmeirion Village

    A miniature Italianate fantasy village on the coast of Wales and the set of ITC classic "The Prisoner."

  • Hauterives, France

    Le Palais Idéal

    This whimsical castle of grottoes was the labor of love of a French postman, and one of the greatest achievements of outsider architecture.

  • Silver Spring, Maryland’s Acorn Park.  Photograph Copyright 2005 by Jerry A. McCoy.

    Silver Spring, Maryland

    Acorn Park

    Giant acorn-shaped 19th century gazebo from which suburban Washingtonians gazed upon the original "silver" spring.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.