| |
|
Often these caves and hollows have distorted shapes in the rock which look like faces or body parts, which is why there's a relationship between grotto and grotesque.
The word comes from Italian grotta, Vulgar Latin grupta, Latin crypta, (a crypt).
"Santa's Grotto" is usually an area set up in a department store at Christmas for an actor dressed as Santa Claus to distribute gifts to children.