The Remnants of Holy Land In Connecticut Are Beautiful

Holy Land in Connecticut is truly one of the most intriguing places you'll ever visit. It's an abandoned theme park with an interesting story. Inspired by numerous Bible stories, Holy Land was built to spread the Gospel in a truly unique way. In its heyday, there were reenactments and intricate replicas of historic Israelite villages. If you ever wondered what it would be like to live in the times of the Bible, Holy Land in Connecticut would show you. But unfortunately, the park went under in 1984. Let's take a look at its story:

Holy Land USA, Waterbury, opened in 1956.

As this postcard shows, this park was well-kept in 1960. The idea of the park was conceived by Waterbury attorney John Baptist Greco. He was a spiritual man who believed that his park would have the power to bring the people together and put them at peace.

Visitors entered the park through stone arches...

..And then were immediately transported back to Biblical times. Visiting the park was like traveling back in time to the early days of Jerusalem. Dirt paths and mud stone buildings created layered "shelves" tucked into the hill.

Holy Land is a peaceful place to visit; very still and serene.

"The rainbow praises those who made it" was written on this metal structure of a rainbow -- that has since collapsed. You'll also come across "God Is Love" and paintings of Jesus on stone walls. There are also longer quotes from the scripture on stone tablets throughout the property.

At Holy Land, you could visit the sites of popular Bible stories.

Herod's Palace was one of many places you could see come to life. Others included the Garden of Eden and Daniel in the lion's den. There were also reenactments from scenes of Jesus's life.

The structures replicated Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Though small, these structures illustrated entire cities as envisioned by the owner and hired artists. At its peak, attendees said they felt their souls lifted and it became a popular destination of the early 1970s.

The cross atop the hill is Holy Land's pièce de résistance.

It's towering -- and a little of ominous. At 56 feet tall, you will feel small standing beside it. There are several crosses on the property, but they are mostly wooden and some have since been vandalized or deteriorated. But it was important to those who believed in the park that no matter what happened to the rest of the park, the cross remained standing.

Today, Holy Land USA is a proud part of the revitalization of the City of Waterbury.

When you stand at the cross at night, you'll get an incredible look at the city below. If the views of the park itself don't move you, this one certainly will.

The park was purchased by Mayor Neil O'Leary and car dealer Fred "Fritz" Blasius in the summer of 2013. They have since added an illuminated cross, and they have since announced plans to restore parts of the park in order to preserve it as historical folk art. To see more of Holy Land, check out this video of a young explorer's visit:

Have you visited Holy Land in Connecticut? This place is a total hidden gem, not unlike these 10 under-the-radar spots in The Constitution State.