Exploring the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County

The Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County Pennsylvania.

The Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi are part of the beautifully manicured grounds of the Saint Francis Friary in Cambria County.

Saint Francis statue at the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County Pennsylvania.
Saint Francis statue.

Open to the public from dawn until dusk and free of charge, the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi are comprised of 3.5 acres of fountains, statues, and gorgeous landscaping, some of which dates back more than 100 years!

Entrance to the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County.
Entrance gate.

History of the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi

The Sunken Gardens were originally a small part of the 1,000 acre summer estate of Charles M. Schwab, Andrew Carnegie’s trusted lieutenant and the first president of the United States Steel Corporation.

Charles M/ Schwab historical marker in Loretto, Cambria County.
Charles M. Schwab historical marker in Loretto, Cambria County.

Schwab was raised in Loretto, and while he had a large mansion in New York City, he wanted a summer getaway in his hometown.

Loretto historical marker near the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County.
Loretto historical marker located near the gardens.

This summer home, dubbed the “Limestone Castle”, was designed by architect Richard Henry Dana Jr, the grandson of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The former summer estate of Charles M. Schwab, located on a hill above the Sunken Gardens.
The former summer estate of Charles M. Schwab, located on a hill above the Sunken Gardens.

Completed in 1919, it had a “modest” 44 rooms, half the size of Schwab’s mansion in New York City!

Charles M. Schwab's New York City mansion.
Charles M. Schwab’s New York City mansion (public domain image).

Schwab called the estate Immergrün, German for “evergreen”.

Looking out over the Sunken Gardens from the Limestone Castle staircase.
Looking out over the Sunken Gardens from the Limestone Castle staircase.

The Sunken Gardens were designed by the nationally known landscape engineer Charles Wellford Leavitt Jr., whose works ranged from country estates, colleges, and town plans to Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.

The curved walkway at the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi along which the Stations of the Cross are displayed.
The curved walkway along which the Stations of the Cross are displayed.

Schwab got to enjoy the Limestone Castle and Immergrün for 10 years, until the stock market crash of 1929 wiped out most of his fortune.

Charles M. Schwab.
Charles M. Schwab (public domain image).

Schwab died heavily in debt in 1939, and the Limestone Castle in Loretto was purchased by the Friends of Saint Francis College in 1942.

Saint Theresa statue in the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County Pennsylvania.
Saint Theresa statue in the gardens.

Today the mansion is a friary for the Franciscan Monks at Mount Assisi, and the Sunken Gardens are graciously made available to the public by the monks.

Sign near the entrance to the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County PA.
Sign near the entrance to the gardens.

Visiting the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi

The Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi are “sunken” into a symmetrical, rectangular-shaped plot of land below the Limestone Castle.

Charles Schwab's summer home in Loretto was completed in 1919.
Charles Schwab’s Limestone Castle as viewed from the Sunken Gardens.

A series of nine waterfalls cascade down the steep hill from the home, ending in three reflecting pools and a fountain in the gardens.

A fountain in the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Loretto Pennsylvania.
A fountain in the Sunken Gardens.

At either end of the rectangular gardens you’ll find curved walkways that house the Stations of the Cross.

The Stations of the Cross in the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County, PA.
The Stations of the Cross in the gardens.

Various pergolas house statues depicting religious figures.

Saint Anthony of Padua statue inside the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Loretto Pennsylvania.
Saint Anthony of Padua statue.

This ornate limestone staircase descends from the mansion-turned-friary into the Sunken Gardens.

Charles Schwab's summer home in Loretto was nicknamed the Limestone Castle.
Charles Schwab’s summer home in Loretto was nicknamed the Limestone Castle.

Opposite the staircase, on the south side of the gardens, you’ll find this amazing fountain.

Fountain in the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County, PA.
Fountain in the gardens.

On the northeastern side of the gardens you’ll find what is called the Rock Garden.

The Rock Garden behind the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Cambria County PA.
The Rock Garden.

A Statue of Saint Michael the Archangel is the focal point of the Rock Garden.

Saint Michael the Archangel statue in the Rock Garden behind the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi.
Saint Michael the Archangel statue

If you get tired while walking the gardens, there are ample places to sit and relax.

Seating area in the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi.
Seating area in the Sunken Gardens.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima

Added to the gardens in 1950, the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is a place of prayerful beauty.

Outside the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima at the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Loretto Pennsylvania.
Outside view of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.

The Shrine was constructed by Father Bernard Cuskelly, who attributed his recovery from serious illness to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.

Inside the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi.
Inside the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi.

Directions to the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi

The Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi are located at 131 St Francis Drive, Loretto, PA 15940.

Map to the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assis in Cambria County Pennsylvania.
Directions to the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assis in Cambria County, next to Saint Francis University.

If navigating by GPS, use coordinates 40.509258, -78.640272 to find the parking area next to the gardens.

Parking area next to the Sunken Gardens at Mount Assisi in Loretto.
Parking area next to the gardens.

Nearby Attractions

Prince Gallitzin’s crypt in Loretto contains the remains of a former Russian prince turned trailblazing Catholic priest, Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin.

Prince Gallitzin's crypt at Saint Michael's Church in Loretto.
Prince Gallitzin’s crypt at Saint Michael’s Church in Loretto.

In 1799, Gallitzin founded Loretto, the only English-speaking Catholic settlement west of Baltimore, and named his church in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel.

Prince Gallitzin's crypt in Cambria County, PA.
Prince Gallitzin’s crypt in Loretto, paid for by Charles M. Schwab.

The Admiral Peary Monument in Cambria County honors U.S. Naval officer Robert Peary, a Cresson native credited with being the first explorer to reach the North Pole.

Close-up of the Admiral Peary Monument, portraying him in his fur parka.
Close-up of the Admiral Peary Monument, portraying him in his fur parka.

The Gallitzin Tunnels are a trio of historic railroad tunnels through the Allegheny Mountains in the small town of Gallitzin, named in honor of Prince Gallitzin.

A westbound Norfolk-Southern train exiting the western portal of the Allegheny Tunnel in Gallitzin.
A westbound Norfolk Southern train exiting the Allegheny Tunnel in Gallitzin.

In conjunction with the Gallitzin tunnels, the World Famous Horseshoe Curve allowed trains to cross back and forth over the steep Allegheny Mountains, something that had been impossible before 1854.

A young railfan waves to a passin Norfolk Southern engineer at the Horseshoe Curve.
A young railfan waves to a passing Norfolk Southern engineer at the Horseshoe Curve.

The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad built across the Allegheny Mountains, allowing for canals on the eastern and western sides of the state to be connected, cutting the travel time between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia from weeks to just days.

Looking up Incline Number 6 towards Engine House Number 6 at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site near Altoona Pennsylvania.
Looking up Incline Number 6 towards Engine House Number 6 at the Allegheny Portage Railroad.

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Rusty Glessner
Rusty Glessner is a professional photographer, lifelong Pennsylvanian, and a frequently-cited authority on PA's best travel destinations.