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.
Edward James named the site Las Pozas, "the Pools", for the natural waterfalls and pools where visitors bathe today. He called the concrete pieces The House with a Roof like a Whale and The Staircase to Heaven, the latter formed of columns imitating an orchid's reproductive parts with two staircases spiralling to a height of 20 m. Local carpenter José Aguilar built the wooden moulds from James's sketches.
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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