The Wondeful Marble Cathedral Located in Patagonia, Chile

The next wonder in our collection, after visiting the awesome Cathedral Beach in Spain is a series of caves and overtures sculpted in the rock by water erosion, in a beautiful lake of azure colors.

If that doesn't sound too exciting to you, look at the pictures to discover what Mother Nature has been carving over the last millenniums, that deserve a name as lofty as The Marble Cathedral.

This monumental set is located in a wild and inaccessible area in Chile, in a region of large lakes, fjords and glaciers at the extreme Patagonian Andes. The closest airport is in the northern city of Coyhaique, more than a hundred and forty miles away. The caves are about two thousand miles south of the capital of the country, Santiago.

The islet on the top is called the Marble Chapel. The level of the waters varies a lot depending on the season.
Image by Gripe1976 and Claudio Bustos

Hole in the wall. Some small companies in the town of Puerto Tranquilo del Río organize tours on boats to visit this dazzling natural landmark. Image by Gripe1976

Columns, pilars, flying buttress... Mother nature is the chief architect of this unique place.
Image by Nick Herber

Image by Jorge Barahona

Expressionist decorations.
Image by Nick Herber

Getting here, and specially getting out, could take more time than planned due that this section of the Carretera Austral is not paved, and the public transport very limited.
Image by Claudio Bustos

The colors also change a lot depending on the light (and if you are lucky with the weather!).

It is possible to sail through some of the passageways with a small boat.

Um... Dolphins?
Image by Feffef

The dark side of the caves.

A view of the Lake General Carrera, where the Marble Cathedral is located.

The lake is one of the biggest in America and is shared by Argentina and Chile.
Image by Feffef

The lake is called Buenos Aires on the Argentinian side.
Image by Tot

The way coming from Coyhaique can take some detours, but is worth it. The lake and surroundings are gorgeous. Patagonian Clouds are also very peculiar. Image by Claudius Prößer