Las Pozas, Sculpture garden in Xilitla, Mexico
Las Pozas is a sculpture garden in the jungle of Xilitla, covering about 80 acres (32 hectares) and combining concrete structures with natural waterfalls. The site rises in terraces across multiple levels, with open staircases, columns, and arched passageways standing among trees and ferns.
A British poet and patron began building these concrete structures in the rainforest in 1949, after a frost destroyed his orchid collection. The work continued for over three decades, until his death in 1984 left the project unfinished.
The owner dreamed of creating a Garden of Eden in the jungle and carried out this plan with local craftsmen. The structures carry names like House on Three Floors That Will Have Five or Four or Three, which never received a roof, and the Temple of the Ducks, where waterfowl swim between columns.
The site opens daily, and a full walk typically takes two to three hours on damp ground. Sturdy footwear is necessary because the paths become slippery and some steps are steep.
Many of the concrete staircases lead to platforms that serve no practical purpose and end in the middle of the jungle. The construction deliberately uses no glass windows, allowing rain and mist to flow freely through the open arches.
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