Island of the Dolls
A man began hanging dolls to appease the spirit of a drowned girl. He continued for 50 years. Now thousands of decaying dolls cover the island. Visitors say the dolls move.
Island of the Dolls (Isla de las Muñecas)
One of the world’s most disturbing haunted locations—an island covered in thousands of decaying dolls, hung to appease a ghost.
The Beginning
In the 1950s, Don Julián Santana Barrera left his family to live as a hermit and settled on a small island in the canals of Xochimilco. He found the body of a drowned girl in the canal. Shortly after, he found a doll floating nearby and hung it in a tree to honor her spirit.
The Haunting
Don Julián believed the girl’s spirit was not at rest and had possessed the doll. She wanted more dolls. He could hear her calling at night, and only dolls would appease her.
Fifty Years of Dolls
For the next 50 years, he collected dolls from the canals, traded produce for dolls, and scavenged dolls from garbage. He hung them everywhere on the island, tying them to trees, fences, and buildings. Thousands accumulated.
The Dolls Today
The island is covered with dolls missing limbs and eyes, decayed by decades of weather. Insects nest in hollow heads. The dolls are tangled in vegetation, staring blankly in all directions, creating an overwhelming, unsettling presence.
Don Julián’s Death
In 2001, Don Julián drowned in the same canal, in the same spot where he found the girl. His nephew found his body. Visitors say they can still hear him, and her.
The Paranormal Activity
Visitors report dolls’ eyes following them, dolls’ heads turning on their own, whispers coming from the dolls, sudden temperature drops, feelings of being watched, and nightmares after visiting.
Paranormal investigators documented EVP recordings with voices, movement detected on motion sensors, strange electrical anomalies, and unexplained equipment malfunctions.
Visiting Today
The island is now a tourist destination, accessible by trajinera (boat) from Xochimilco. Visitors bring dolls as offerings. The collection continues to grow. It’s easily one of the creepiest places on Earth, not recommended for the faint-hearted.
The Questions
Was there really a drowned girl? What did Don Julián actually experience? Why did he drown in the same spot? Are the dolls really haunted? What happens when night falls on the island?
Thousands of dolls hang silent in the Mexican sun. But at night, locals say, they wake up.