Island of the Dolls - World's Creepiest Collection of Dolls

"La Isla de las Muñecas" (The Island of the Dolls), Mexico is famous for having the creepiest collection of dolls. Located within a maze of canals in the Xochimilco region, South of Mexico city, the small Island was home to a hermit - Julián Santana Barrera. One day about 54 years ago, he suddenly had an urge to collect discarded dolls.

As per legend a young girl had drowned in the canal near the Island and Julián believed that dolls will protect him from the wandering soul of the girl. He would therefore go to garbage dump yards searching for dolls and even fished in the canal for the discarded dolls thrown in the water and place the dolls in his small cabin on the Island. Soon he ran out of space within the cabin and started placing the dolls on the trees outside and as well as hanging the dolls on the wires strung between trees. 

Now the Island is full of dolls. The dolls are every where; almost all the trees in the Island have dolls. Most of the dolls in the collection are in the condition in which these were found. Some are full of mud/dirt, some are without dress, some are mutilated, have a limb or their head missing. Some are sitting, some standing and some even hanging by their neck!

His collection spanning over 50 years has more than a thousand dolls and may perhaps be World's largest collection of dolls. The whole place is spooky and is often also referred as "Island of Dead Dolls" (La Isla de las Muñecas Muertas). It is also rumoured that the dolls come alive during the night. (See the video at the end of this post.)

Julián died about 4 years ago and his death is also steeped in mystery. He often told his nephew that the dead girl regularly calls him and the dolls protect him from going to the girl. One day he mentioned to his nephew that the girl is calling him again. Soon thereafter he sent his nephew on some errand, who on return found Julián's body floating in the canal almost at the same spot where the girl was drowned. Reportedly he had an heart attack and fell into the canal.

His nephew now takes care of the place and the Island has attracted a great influx of tourists in recent years.

Image from Panoramio is by animes25

Image from Flickr is by Julio Martinez

Image from Flickr is by Troels Myrup

Image from Flickr is by Troels Myrup

Image from Flickr is by Esparta

Image from Flickr is by SkilliShots

Image from Flickr is by SkilliShots

Image from Flickr is by Tarzan!!!

Image from Flickr is by SkilliShots

View location in Google Earth / Google Maps

Main source of information: Wikipedia / travel.spotcoolstuff.com

Credits: I am thankful to animes25 who correctly marked the spot in Google Earth. There was some confusion about the location. BridgePlayer and Walter_V_R, Members of Google Earth Community checked and confirmed, vide this post, the location given by animes25. I am therefore also thankful to Bridge and Walter. Thank you Animes, Bridge and Walter.