Chile's Marble Cathedrals, Carved by a Lake into Patagonian Cliffs (30 photos + 1 video)

Mother Nature has demonstrated her supreme artistry in creating this stunning complex of grottoes and arches carved from solid marble.





These marble caves, carved from the depths of the Patagonian Andes, are located on a peninsula of solid marble on the shores of Lake General Carrera, a remote glacial lake shared by Chile with Argentina.



These surreal forms are the work not of a skilled carver or sculptor, but of waves. For six millennia, they have been rolling onto a layer of calcium carbonate, slowly eroding and polishing the stone. The smooth cave walls, adorned with swirls of blue and azure hues, are a mirror reflecting the lake's water. Its intensity and color palette constantly change depending on the water level and the time of year.





The caves, located off any roads, are accessible only by boat. Local operators offer half-hour boat tours, but only when weather and lake conditions permit.



The best time to visit is from September to February, when melting glaciers fill the lake with a particularly mesmerizing turquoise hue. To capture the perfect lighting for photographs, it's best to set out on this short but magical journey early in the morning.







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