The Marble Cathedrals, also known as the Marble Chapels, are the most beautiful water-carved rock formations in Chile. They were formed over more than 6,000 years ago, resulting in what we now admire as eroded islets and caverns. Tunnels, caves, and marble columns have been sculpted by the constant movement of the water, creating striking colors and shapes.
They are located in Chile, in the Aysen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo region, in General Carrera Lake in the southern part of the country, along the famous and admired Carretera Austral.
The marble cathedrals of Chile’s General Carrera Lake
General Carrera Lake is the second-largest lake in South America, covering 1,850 km2, after Lake Titicaca, and is the highest navigable lake in the world. General Carrera Lake is shared by Chile and Argentina; on the Argentine side, it is called Lake Buenos Aires, with 872 km2, and on the Chilean side, it is known as General Carrera Lake, with 978 km2. Formed by the retreat of large glaciers around 10,000 years ago, its intense turquoise waters are due to glacial sediments and the purity of the environment. Its approximate depth is 586 meters.
Its main attractions are the Marble Cathedrals, the Marble Chapel, and the Marble Caves. Calcium carbonate is the main material, commonly known as marble, and it also contains quartz, limestone, and manganese. It is possible to navigate the lake by kayak or boat, enter the caves, touch them, and appreciate their intense colors. It is not a mass tourism destination, which has helped the area remain pristine and natural.
The Chilean government declared them a Nature Sanctuary in 1994, and today they are among the most visited and photographed places in Chile.
Tips for a trip to these natural wonders
The ideal season to visit is summer, from December to March, when the favorable weather makes navigation more pleasant and the water clearer and more vibrant.
Tours depart from the town of Puerto Rio Tranquilo, which is part of the Carretera Austral and serves as the main starting point for the adventure into the Cathedrals. The excursion lasts approximately one hour.
The Marble Caves are the first site visited; if you have a vivid imagination, you may see shapes in the rocks, sometimes resembling animals, people, or mystical beings. The Chapels and the Cathedrals are visited next; they are islets surrounded by vegetation, with perforated bases that have turned them into caves.
The best time to witness this natural spectacle is in the morning until midday, when sunlight reflects off the water and provides the most vivid colors of the day.
There is no exact figure for the amount of marble present. It is estimated that there are several tens of thousands of tons of marble, but it is impossible to calculate precisely, since, in addition to the external marble visible to the human eye, there is also internal marble submerged beneath the water.