The Unexplained Files

The Island of the Dolls: A Murky and Terrifying History


Listen Later

The source provides an extensive overview of La Isla de las Muñecas (The Island of the Dolls), a chilling tourist attraction located within the Xochimilco canals near Mexico City. This infamous acre of land is covered with thousands of mutilated, decaying dolls placed there by a recluse named Don Julián Santana Barrera. The episode explains that Julián began collecting and hanging the dolls—often seen as vessels for spirits or talismans—to appease the spirit of a young girl who tragically drowned near his isolated chinampa in the mid-1950s. The episode details Julián’s lonely existence, the psychological decline that led to his decades-long obsession, and his mysterious death in 2001, which occurred near the girl's original drowning spot. Finally, the episode explores the island's modern legacy as a site of dark tourism, amplified by paranormal investigators, pop culture references, and persistent legends of supernatural activity.
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Unexplained FilesBy Author Adidas Wilson