"Little Lourdes" is a charming miniature park presenting a precisely made model of the city from the time of the apparitions. A visit here is a unique history lesson for all visitors. You will see there a wonderfully reconstructed stone settlement, built on the basis of historical sources and documents.
In the miniature park you will feel like Gulliver on one of his journeys. You will be able to walk the alleys of the city from the time of the apparitions in the 19th century. There are houses, a river, streams, recreated beautiful flower gardens and trees "reduced" to the size of bonsai. Everything is wonderfully reconstructed, with numerous landmarks that you can still see in Lourdes. There are, among others, the house where Bernadette was born, or the grotto where the Virgin Mary appeared to her. You will also be impressed by the impressive replica of the basilica, reproduced in the smallest detail. The Lourdes fortress towers over the city, just like the real one. The exhibition shows the everyday life of Bernadette and the inhabitants of Lourdes in the 19th century. In the miniature houses you will see people doing their daily activities, as if they froze for a moment.
The exceptionally detailed reproduction allows you to see how Lourdes has changed over the years. A visit to the museum is also an opportunity to better understand the historical and religious background of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, which made Lourdes a world pilgrimage center.
Visitors who have already had the opportunity to see this place call it a gem. They emphasize that you can see the dedication and passion for presenting Lourdes from times gone by. Work on the construction of the miniatures took the creator a quarter of a century! The place was opened to visitors in 1954 and is currently run by the descendants of the founder.
It will take you about 15-20 minutes to get here on foot from the Grotto, or you can take a tourist train that takes tourists to the most attractive places in Lourdes.
The museum is located close to the center of Lourdes, which makes it easily accessible to both pilgrims and tourists.
Thanks to audio guides, information in several languages and multimedia presentations, the museum presents the details of the apparitions and the development of the Marian cult. This is a great opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the history of Lourdes in an accessible way.
To get to know this place even better, you will receive an audio set that will allow you to learn the history of Lourdes, which is so closely linked to the history of the apparitions from 1858.
In summary, a visit to Little Lourdes is a great way to deepen your knowledge of the history of Lourdes, appreciate the beauty of the city's ancient architecture and better understand the context of the apparitions that changed its fate.
