Key Information
Marble Caves
| Type | Calcium Carbonate Caves and Formations |
| Age | Around 15,000 years |
Learning Point
- Hidden deep in the stunning waters of Chilean Patagonia, the Marble Caves – known locally as the Capillas de Mármol – are a breathtaking natural wonder carved over thousands of years. Formed from pure calcium carbonate marble that dates back 300 million years, these stunning turquoise caverns and delicate pillars were sculpted entirely by the patient, relentless wave action of General Carrera Lake. Because the glacier-fed water is exceptionally pure, it casts brilliant blue reflections onto the twisting white-and-blue stone ceilings, creating a surreal underground labyrinth that looks straight out of a fantasy movie.
Project
- Draw a picture or diagram of the caves and some of the shapes that we can see there.
- Overview
- Formation
Location
| Location | General Carrera Province, Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region, Chile |
Fun Facts
- The entire cave system is carved out of massive blocks of solid marble that are 94% pure calcium carbonate.
- For 15,000 years, waves from the giant lake have splashed against the rock, slowly dissolving the marble to create smooth pillars, tunnels, and arches.
- The color of the water changes depending on the season and melting glaciers! It shifts from a bright turquoise in spring to a deep, milky blue in late summer.
- Scientists believe the rock material that makes up these caves might have started its journey hundreds of millions of years ago near the Earth’s Equator before moving all the way down to Patagonia!
Past Lessons
| 217 | October 5, 2026 | (North America) |