The Grotto, a tranquil sanctuary in Northeast Portland

[Insert meditative nature sounds here] That’s the auditory nirvana visitors are treated to when they step onto the grounds of The Grotto in Northeast Portland. The outdoor sanctuary offers space to reclaim inner peace amid a maelstrom of daily demands — just ask the 200,000+ people who seek out The Grotto and its soothing soul balm every year.

Officially called the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, the 62-acre campus is split into two parts: a lower level resting in the shadow of Rocky Butte, and an upper level perched atop a 110-ft basalt cliff on the butte’s northern face.

Lower level

The lower level is open to the public year-round, free of charge. This is where you’ll find The Grotto’s centerpiece: an outdoor cathedral set into the base of the cliff featuring a replica of Michelangelo’s “Pieta.” A walking path winds through the lower woods, passing tranquil gardens, a visitor complex, an art gallery, a gift shop, and the Chapel of Mary .

Upper level

For an admission fee, an elevator built into the side of the cliff takes visitors to the upper level, home to lush botanical gardens containing rhododendrons, roses, and a gurgling stream. Meandering trails take visitors to multiple shrines , the historic St. Anne’s Chapel , a sandstone monastery , and the Meditation Chapel featuring a rounded glass wall with panoramic views.

History

Father Ambrose Mayer, a priest in the Servite Order, bought the land (formerly used as a quarry) from the Union Pacific Railroad in 1923 with his life savings ($3,000) and the help of a national campaign backed by Pope Pius XI. Mayer established a Catholic sanctuary on the grounds to show his gratitude to God for sparing his mother after a complicated birth many years earlier. Three thousand people gathered for The Grotto’s first mass in front of the cavernous, freshly-carved shrine on May 29, 1924. It was designated as a national sanctuary in 1983.