The Island of the Dolls
Noted as one of the most mysterious places, this Island is based in Mexico City having an upsetting history. One can find this place between the canals of Xochimilco. The site initially never was intended to be a place for tourism but its background story attracts more than 2000 visitors every year. Originally called Isla de las Munecas as it got popular it got translated as Island of the Dolls. The place is covered with decomposing old dolls strung up on trees which are pretty creepy. The dolls have severed limbs, decapitated heads, and blank eyes which is creepy in even in daylight.
Background story
The place is a citation of a poor girl’s soul, who lost her life in strange circumstances. The young girl was found dead on the shores of the island. The body was followed by a doll floating down the canals. The girl was found by Don Julian Santana Barrera, who lived on the island by himself. The self-claimed caretaker of the island left his family before moving here and isn’t considered having a sound mind.
Belief has it, the dolls strung on the tree are possessed by the spirit of the girl. A local legend says they have been seen moving on their own from one place to another. The dolls move their limbs, heads; even they open their eyes at times. According to some witnesses, they have heard the dolls whispering to each other, while some say they are lured by the dolls to visit the place while traveling on the boat near the island.
Although there are stories, there has never been any kind of occurrence to prove the story of possession of the dolls.
Discovery
Barrera strung the doll on a tree to pay respect and conciliate the soul of a little girl. He further claimed to have been haunted by the ghost of the drowned child. He realized one doll was not enough to settle the spirit of the dead girl so he would collect creepy dolls from the trash and from the canals and dangle them from the trees. It became the process of a lifetime when he grasped the fact that even the dolls were becoming the girl’s slaves and were possessed by her. He dedicated his time to the island for the rest of his life it was started in the 1950s, to which he gave 50 years of his time.
Although Julian Santana Barrera gave his entire life for making the place protected from the evil spirit of the girl, there are many rumors that he was not in his correct mind. Many believed he never has discovered the diseased girl in the first place. Even his family was not convinced by the word, they believed it was a made-up story of the drowned child.
Julian’ Death
The discoverer passed away in the year 2001 and the creepiest of all was the reason behind his death. He was found drowned in the canal, at the exact spot where he said to have found the body of the girl. It seems even his death had clear ties to the story of the little girl.
As the story made rounds, the place became a tourist place. People started visiting the place bringing their own dolls and hand them to the tree to pay their respects.
Museum
The place also comprises of a museum that contains the very first doll strung on the island. It also has various belongings of the caretaker including photos and more. The museum also has some articles derived from local newspapers that tell the history of the island and the previous owner.
Apart from that, the place also has a store and three rooms. One of the rooms seems to be used as a bedroom and another contains Barrera’s favorite doll that was Agustinita as well as the first doll he collected.
How to reach
The site is can be found an hour and a half away from Embarcadero Cuemanco. One can reach the small island only by a trajinera being the only access. The most recommended place is to leave from Xochimilco’s Embarcadero Celada. One should be aware of the fake island created for scamming the tourists.
In the journey, one could enjoy a tour of the Ecological Area, the Ajolote Museum, the Apatlaco Canal, the Teshuilo Lagoon and the Llorona Island.
⇒ What are your thoughts about the place? Did the caretaker really found the girl or it was just a story made by his outrageous mind. I surely belive his words and wanna visit it someday!
