El Castillo De Los Duendes, Oaxaca, Mexico – Thursday Travel: Buildings with Character
El Castillo De Los Duendes can be translated to The Castle of the Spirits. I’m talking about a weird concrete building looking like a Disneyland castle in Mexico.
While visiting the state of Oaxaca, Mexico we also stayed in a very nice town called Villa de Etla. Our hosts urged us to go and see this incredible building, said to be raised by “Duendes”. Looking in the dictionary, we found out that Duendes are little creatures with supernatural power.
El Castillo De Los Duendes
However, nobody could tell us who exactly built this castle and why. Many people had some opinions, but nobody really knew for sure. What is sure is that whoever started it left the construction unfinished.
Whether the owner ran out of money or died, the project has been abandoned. The building has been standing in this condition near downtown Etla for several years.
We couldn’t enter inside, but I photographed the amusing decorations of the exterior. *Sorry for my photos looking up, but the narrow street in front of it didn’t allow be to get farther.
From the outside you can see things looking like those in Disneyland: medieval towers, royally decorated balconies and walls, plus a lot of gold. I think that these Duendes were somehow related to “leprechauns”. That’s because of the Shamrocks ornaments allover the place 🙂 You can also see pirate treasure chests, and flags. I even noticed a royal crown…
It looks like this was definitely intended to be a big project.
Some people we asked in the street thought that the municipality may take over and finish it. That would be nice of them, but who knows… Either way, it is and it will be a building with a lot of character 🙂
El Castillo De Los Duendes is definitely a tourist attraction of the town. You should go and see it on your next visit to Oaxaca. BTW, Villa Etla and the whole state of Oaxaca are places worth visiting in Mexico. Stay tuned for more 🙂
* Posted as part of my WP Weekly Travel Photo Challenge #5: Buildings with Character. Feel free to share yours as well!
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– Thank you, and Let’s Travel Together! 🙂
Great challenge! https://sharonpopek.com/buildings-with-character/
Thank you Sharon for your contribution – wonderful photos and architecture!
Lovely building. Senor Google is full of gossip and untrustworthy stories. As so often these days.
Thank you! Not sure haw is your comment related to my post though…
Sorry, should have said that my remark was about the Senor’s reply to my question about castillo de los Duendes
That clarifies it all 🙂 What Senor’s?
But I guess I missed your question… what was it?
Fun building. It made me think of the Small World Ride, it has so many different details.
The “Duendes” were very creative 😀