Cuevas de Mármol is a group of karst caves in Patagonia , Chile, on the shores of Lake Buenos Aires/General Carrera ( Lake Buenos Aires, General Carrera or Chelenko is a lake in South America, located in Patagonia and shared by Chile and Argentina ) , The origin of caves is glacial erosion . The most famous of these are the Marble Chapel ( Capillas de Mármol) and the Marble Cathedral ( Catedral de Mármol ). Blue-gray caves formed by erosion of marble by water . The age of the caves is more than 6000 years . The caves are located in the area that is the world’s largest marble bed .
Over the years, the waters of the lake – the second largest in South America – have eroded the coastal escarpments, creating these formations that include caverns and islets. In recent years, they have become an important tourist attraction in the Aysén Region.
Access : Coordinates: / The nearest port for visits to these formations is Puerto Río Tranquilo in the municipality of Río Ibáñez, 223 km from Coyhaique, capital of the Aisén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region.
Highlights :
- Marble Caves in Chile ( Cuevas de Mármol en Chile) – a complex of caves in Chile , on a glacial lake General Carrera, through which the Argentine-Chilean border runs. The most famous of them are the Marble Chapel ( Capillas de Mármol ) and the Marble Cathedral (Catedral de Mármol), The caves are not accessible from land and cannot be seen from the shoreline.
- “Marble Cathedral”, “Marble Chapel” and “Marble Cavern”. It is accessed by small boats.
The caves are located in an area that is the world’s largest marble deposit . The nearest major town and tourist base is Coyhaique , approx. 320 km away. - General Carrera Lake is the repository of several natural formations whose greatest beauty is perceived when entering its interior caves after a short navigation.
- The Marble Chapels are accessed from a small town called Puerto Río Tranquilo on the shore of Lake General Carrera.
- Declared a Nature Sanctuary in order to protect them, these mineral formations composed of calcium carbonate and located on the shores of Lake General Carrera, the largest in Chile, have been eroded over millions of years as a result of water and the wind, exposing the marble as it can be seen today.
- You will also be struck by the imposing formations on the lake known as the Marble Cathedral and the Marble Chapels.
Go next : Puerto Río Tranquilo , From the town, and through route X-728, you can also access the Exploradores Valley and the Laguna San Rafael National Park / Puerto Sánchez
