In Waterbury, Connecticut, an abandoned Bible theme park has been decaying for almost three decades. Read on to learn more about this haunting place, and be sure to watch the incredible footage of Holy Land brought to us by YouTube’s Exploring With Josh.
Holy Land was once the largest tourist attraction in the state.
Flickr/Heather Rose
This theme park was built in 1940, and aimed to bring the Bible to life.
YouTube/Exploring With Josh
John Baptist Greco, a Catholic lawyer, built the park with the help of a group called the Companions of Christ.
Flickr/Nick Chapman
Scenes from the life of Jesus were made larger than life.
Flickr/Timothy Neesam
Places like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Herod’s palace and Jesus’s tomb are all depicted.
Flickr/Timothy Neesam
The park closed in 1984 for improvements. However, Greco died in 1986, and the park went with him.
Flickr/Timothy Neesam
Nature has begun to reclaim the buildings and statues of Holy Land.
Youtube/Exploring With Josh
A group of nuns now has ownership over the park, but it has not been maintained.
Flickr/Zaigee
Today, the Holy Land is slowly crumbling.
Flickr/Rick Harris
Check out the video below:
Flickr/Heather Rose
YouTube/Exploring With Josh
Flickr/Nick Chapman
Flickr/Timothy Neesam
Youtube/Exploring With Josh
Flickr/Zaigee
Flickr/Rick Harris
There have been attempts made to reopen the park, with the most recent being in 2000 by the Archbishop Daniel A. Cronin of the Hartford Archdiocese, but repairs would cost upwards of $10 million. Do you think Holy Land should be revived?
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