{"id":618,"date":"2014-06-17T12:30:30","date_gmt":"2014-06-17T17:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/?p=618"},"modified":"2014-06-16T18:11:11","modified_gmt":"2014-06-16T23:11:11","slug":"man-made-crystal-cave-world-located-memphis-quite-fascinating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/?p=618","title":{"rendered":"The only man-made Crystal Cave in the world is located under Memphis and it is quite fascinating"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-620\" src=\"http:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009.jpg\" alt=\"Crystal Shrine Grotto, Memphis, TN\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009.jpg 960w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009-850x637.jpg 850w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009-679x509.jpg 679w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009-262x196.jpg 262w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009-524x392.jpg 524w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/02-Crystal-Shrine-Grotto-Memphis-TN-00009-574x430.jpg 574w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The entrance to the Crystal Shrine Grotto at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis is right at the center of the burial ground, and interestingly\u00a0just across the street from the final resting places of such disparate Memphis music icons as Jay Reatard and Isaac Hayes. It feels as if you are entering another universe populated by Smurfs and Elves.<\/p>\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_39694\"  width=\"849\" height=\"637\"  data-origwidth=\"849\" data-origheight=\"637\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_Nr4kpisIsQ?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>The grotto cavern is constructed of rock quartz crystal and semiprecious stones. It illustrates &#8220;Christ&#8217;s Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection.&#8221; The scenes are a mix of strange abstractions and more scriptural religious dioramas.Unlike most cemetery art, this is no one\u2019s grave or memorial, but just a place of peace<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-624\" src=\"http:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z.jpg\" alt=\"7604433694_4f049a92a2_z\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z.jpg 640w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z-262x174.jpg 262w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z-524x349.jpg 524w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/7604433694_4f049a92a2_z-574x382.jpg 574w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit;\">Rodriguez was a self-taught sculptor from Texas (originally from Mexico City), hired by the Memorial Park&#8217;s founder during the Depression. He specialized in creating cement sculptures simulating natural wood and stone.The Cave creator, Mexican Born\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #333332;\">artist\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"color: #0089bd;\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dionicio_Rodriguez\">Dionicio Rodr\u00edguez<\/a><span style=\"color: #333332;\">,\u00a0is said to have been so protective of his specialized techniques\u00a0for making concrete look like wood \u2014\u00a0known as\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"color: #0089bd;\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Faux_bois\">faux bois<\/a><span style=\"color: #333332;\">\u00a0\u2014\u00a0that he destroyed the containers for his materials after mixing paint and stains in the back of his car.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_41203\"  width=\"849\" height=\"478\"  data-origwidth=\"849\" data-origheight=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Il9uKIKwvDc?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit;\">The Crystal Shrine Grotto\u00a0was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for Tennessee in\u00a01991 and it is free to visit<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-625\" src=\"http:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08.jpg\" alt=\"crystalcave08\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08.jpg 640w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08-262x196.jpg 262w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08-524x393.jpg 524w, https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/crystalcave08-574x430.jpg 574w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em style=\"color: #333332;\">\u00a0<a style=\"color: #0089bd;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.memorialparkfuneralandcemetery.com\/\">Memorial Park Cemetery<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The entrance to the Crystal Shrine Grotto at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis is right at the center of the burial ground, and interestingly\u00a0just across the street from the final resting places of such disparate Memphis music icons as Jay Reatard and Isaac Hayes. It feels as if you are entering another universe populated by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":628,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=618"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":629,"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618\/revisions\/629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offbeattenn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}