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.
Location: Xilitla
Inception: 1962
Creator: Edward James
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 09:00-18:00
Website: https://laspozasxilitla.org.mx/en
GPS coordinates: 21.39646,-98.99669
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:25
Earth presents numerous geological formations, natural phenomena, and architectural structures that stand out through their exceptional characteristics. This collection documents such sites across all continents: the Darvaza Gas Crater in Turkmenistan, burning for decades; the luminescent glowworms in New Zealand's Waitomo Caves; the terraced limestone pools of Pamukkale in Turkey; and the layered sediment patterns of The Wave in Arizona. Additional locations include the basalt columns at Bushmills in Northern Ireland, the deep blue expanse of Aokigahara Forest at the base of Mount Fuji, the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines with their conical mounds, and the acidic turquoise waters of Kawah Ijen crater lake in Indonesia. The collection also features human-made curiosities such as Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra with its spiral initiation well, the Winchester Mystery House in California with its unusual architecture, and Las Pozas in Mexico, a surrealist garden of concrete constructions in the jungle. Natural phenomena are equally represented: the Racetrack Playa in California with its moving rocks, the optical illusion of Magnetic Hill in New Brunswick, the Caño Cristales in Colombia whose riverbed appears in bright colors, and Lake Natron in Tanzania with its high alkaline content. Each location demonstrates specific geological processes, climatic conditions, or cultural developments that distinguish these places from typical travel destinations.
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