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Year Round Gatlinburg Attraction Inspires Guests

By Marilyn Loeser

I’ve been a travel writer for the better part of 20 years. I wonder sometimes just how many miles I’ve traveled, articles I’ve written and photos I’ve taken in this span of two decades.

Recently I decided to go through several boxes in my storage unit and give away some items I knew I’ll never use, wear or need again. I came across dozens of press kits, photos, mementoes and letters of thanks from the destinations I’d written about — each item bringing back a flood of travel memories.

One letter I received — and enjoyed reading again — was from Christus Gardens in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

I remember as my family and I walked through the entrance and into the Biblical world of 2,000 years ago. Greeted by life-size and life-like scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, we were transported a world away and into another time.

Christus Gardens is the nation’s number one religious attraction and one of Gatlinburg's leading destinations since it opened more than 40 years ago.

Christus Gardens History

Opening in August, 1960, Christus Gardens presents the inspirational life of Christ. Enhanced by beautiful choral music, dramatic lighting and a moving narrative, guests from around the world find scenes from the Bible with more than 100 perfect life-size figures crafted by master artists set in realistic dioramas. An heirloom Bible collection is another precious and religious treasure. Many of the Bibles date back more than a century.

Christus Gardens began with Ronald Ligon and his dream for such an attraction.

Ligon made trips to several parts of the world where noteworthy religious memorials were already in existence: England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portugal, as well as destinations in the United States and Canada.

In one year alone he traveled some 80,000 miles to visit museums, talk with museum directors, medieval scholars and teachers in an effort to make every minute detail of his memorial as authentic as possible.

For the wax figures themselves, Ligon teamed up with the London-based company responsible for the creation of the many life-like wax figures displayed in art centers all over the world. Costuming was handled by B.J. Simmons, Ltd. of London, a company with considerable experience in producing large-scale wardrobes including costumes for the casts of such epic movies as "Ben Hur" and "Quo Vadis."

Location selection is attributed to Pritchard Barnes. When Barnes showed Ligon the site now occupied by Christus Gardens on River Road, Ligon realized this was the perfect location for the great memorial he had been planning for so long.

The beauty and popularity of Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was already established. To complete the picture, Ligon employed a team of highly creative personnel to engineer the audio narration, music, sound and lighting effects creating the mood of Christus Gardens.

If you go:

The attraction is open year round except Christmas Day and is handicap accessible. During the spring, guests enjoy the flowers of the season including a delicate orchid display.

During the fall, Christus Gardens is engulfed by an array of canary, crimson and orange as summer-green leaves turn into a rainbow of fall glory.

During the holidays, Christus Gardens participates in Gatlingburg's Winterfest with award winning Christmas lights between the second week of November through the end of February.

For more information go to christusgardens.com. For information on other Gatlinburg attractions, accommodations and restaurants go to gatlinburg.com.

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