Pozo de las Animas (Well of Souls) in Argentina 2024-2025
Stop by to pray for the lost souls
Best time: all year round
Pozo de las Animas are the two eye-catching cesspools situated near the village of Los Molles in Mendoza.
The name of sinkholes derives from an ancient Aboriginal legend. It is about a group of Aboriginal people being chased by a rival group. As the night fell, the pursuers could not find their enemies anymore and returned home. The next day they went back to get their enemies again and suddenly heard calls of distress. Advancing cautiously, they found two huge wells and their pursued ones dying in the rising waters. Since then these cesspools have been a place of worship called "the place where souls cry".
Both dump wells were created because of the deformation of underground voids. The voids emerged from the dissipation of gypsum deposits by groundwaters. The holes are separated by a thin friable wall, and it is assumed that the wall will erode away over the years to unite the two wells.
The Northern sinkhole has crumbling sides, and as the sinkhole is still eroding, it is dangerous to approach its rims. The sinkhole is around 101 m deep and 300 m across. Over 21 m of the depth is filled with water. The Southern sinkhole is approximately 300 m in diameter, however less impressive visually.
The site may be visited year round. In winter, the slopes are covered in snow, and the roads are generally passable. In summer, days are hot, but the sun reflecting in the wells at noon is really what makes it attractive.
