SIGHT TO SEE
THE MARBLE CAVES, CHILE
This mesmerizing cave system is not just marble by name— it’ s made entirely of solid stone, says Emily Lush
It took an estimated 6,000 years to chisel and polish the Marble Caves, a system of partially submerged grottoes and islets in the Patagonian Andes. The formations are sculpted from the cliffs that plunge into Lake General Carrera, which straddles Chile and Argentina. The marble is rippled with shades of icy blue, pink and gray, and, as the glacial lake’ s water level rises and falls throughout the year, so too do the colors oscillate.
The designated Nature Sanctuary in the Aysén Region encompasses several unique structures. The cathedral is a voluminous chamber buttressed by majestic marble arches that resemble cloisters. The chapel, meanwhile, is smaller and propped up on a heavily eroded pedestal of marble columns. The ceiling of the expansive marble cavern drips with twisted stone spires and spindles.
The cliffs are thought to have been made of limestone that was recrystallized as calcium carbonate when tectonic shifts subjected them to extreme heat and pressure. Ribbons of ochre and rose were created as impurities and became trapped during this process. Later, pounding waves and battering winds caused some of the minerals to dissolve, hollowing out the caves and casting the islets, while the swell buffed the interior walls until the surface was smooth.
The caves are concealed below a sheer escarpment on a forested peninsula, so can only be accessed by water. Boat tours from the nearest major town, Puerto Río Tranquilo, are a popular way to navigate through the larger caverns and view the entire peninsula from the lake. To wend through the tighter caverns, visitors should join a guided kayaking expedition.
ESSENTIALS
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Puerto Río Tranquilo is conveniently located off the Carretera Austral, making it an easy stop on a road trip down Chile’ s Route 7. The best time to go is between December and February, when the lake is topped up with ice melt from the Andes and the rock takes on more intense hues. In winter, the water level drops by up to three feet, revealing additional layers of crystalline stone that are hidden in summer. image: Awl images
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