Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Statue of the Buddha in the main temple
Gadaladeniya Viharaya
McClellan Falls
McClellan Falls
Kraken Habitat
Skye Textile Mill
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Caru' cu Bere
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Inside the Rothko Chapel
These Monuments Showcase the Beauty of Brutalism
about 2 hours ago
Aerial view of Pulau Tiga
The Original ‘Survivor’ Island Changed Television Forever
about 19 hours ago
Obscura Day Summer 2025: Roaming among Assateague's feral island ponies
about 22 hours ago
The main reading room of the Athenaeum.
Obscura Day Summer 2025: Literary Landmarks Across Providence
about 22 hours ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Santa Clara Shrine of Our Lady of Peace

Shrine of Our Lady of Peace

One of the largest Marian shrines on the West Coast stands rather unexpectedly in Silicon Valley.

Santa Clara, California

Added By
James Ricci
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  causeiwander / Atlas Obscura User
  causeiwander / Atlas Obscura User
  causeiwander / Atlas Obscura User
  James Ricci / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Silicon Valley is not usually thought of as a destination for religious pilgrimages, but along US 101 stands one of the largest, and in fact one of the only Marian shrines on the West Coast.

Msgr. John J. Sweeny, the former pastor of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Santa Clara, commissioned noted sculptor Charles C. Parks to sculpt a giant statue of the Virgin Mary to serve as the centerpiece of a Marian shrine on the parish grounds.

After three years of work, Parks finished the 32-foot-tall steel statue of Mary in 1983. In a grand dedication ceremony, the statue and encompassing shrine were dedicated and blessed by Bishop Pierre DuMaine, with a special blessing by Pope John Paul II.

Almost 35 years later, the massive steel statue is still one of the largest depictions of the religious figure in the United States, and the largest on the West Coast (the tallest depiction of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rockies, is almost three times as tall, but sits atop the Continental Divide in Montana).

Related Tags

Religion Shrines Statues Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

The outdoor shrine welcomes visitors 24 hours a day and has spacious grounds for respectful picnicking, relaxation, and veneration.

Community Contributors

Added By

James Ricci

Edited By

causeiwander

  • causeiwander

Published

June 22, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.olop-shrine.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ShrineBrochure021512.pdf
  • http://www.ourladyoftherockies.net/
Shrine of Our Lady of Peace
2800 Mission College Blvd
Santa Clara, California
United States
37.389157, -121.97765
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Intel Museum

Santa Clara, California

miles away

Electronics Flea Market

Cupertino, California

miles away

Lupe the Mammoth

San Jose, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Santa Clara

Santa Clara

California

Places 4
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Intel Museum

Santa Clara, California

miles away

Electronics Flea Market

Cupertino, California

miles away

Lupe the Mammoth

San Jose, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Santa Clara

Santa Clara

California

Places 4
Stories 1

Related Places

  • These formidable lion heads are said to help keep the sea at bay.

    Tokyo, Japan

    The Lions of Namiyoke Inari Shrine

    This shrine, built to protect against destructive waves, is home to two monumental lion heads.

  • The shrine of Mary at the Stone Gate

    Zagreb, Croatia

    Kamenita Vrata (Our Lady of the Stone Gate)

    A well-worshipped shrine to the Virgin Mary nestled inside the last of Zagreb’s historic gates.

  • Kailashnath Mahadev

    Sanga, Nepal

    Kailashnath Mahadev Statue

    Nepal is home to the world’s tallest Shiva statue.

  • The chief priest, Francesco Brigante, at the inauguration ceremony.

    Serravalle, San Marino

    San Marino Jinja

    The only Shinto shrine in Europe that has been officially sanctioned by Japan.

  • Iwakuni, Japan

    Iwakuni Shirohebi Shrine

    A shrine dedicated to the sacred white snakes of Iwakuni, whose albinism has been passed down for generations.

  • Shrine of the Blessed Mother

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Shrine of the Blessed Mother

    This shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary is also a tribute from a mother to her fallen son.

  • Shrine of the Immaculate Virgin

    Staten Island, New York

    Shrine of the Immaculate Virgin

    Devotional offerings and pleas for intercession are left at this Depression-era shrine inside a nature preserve.

  • The sculpture was created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1670.

    Vatican City

    'The Vision of Constantine'

    This equestrian statue of Constantine the Great has been the subject of criticism for centuries.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.