Las Pozas Facts for Kids

Las Pozas, Xilitla, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, 24 September 2011

Las Pozas (which means "the Pools") is a unique collection of buildings and sculptures. They were created by an artist named Edward James. You can find them high up in a rainforest in the Sierra Gorda mountains of Mexico. This amazing place is over 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level. It covers more than 80 acres (32 ha) and has natural waterfalls and pools. These are mixed with tall, dream-like sculptures made of concrete.

Where is Las Pozas?
Building the Dream Garden
What is Surrealism?
How the Structures Were Made
Who Owns Las Pozas Now?
Visiting Las Pozas
Gallery
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Where is Las Pozas?

Las Pozas is located near the small village of Xilitla, San Luis Potosí. This is about a seven-hour drive north of Mexico City. Edward James first visited Mexico in the early 1940s. He wanted to create a special garden, like a "Garden of Eden." He felt Mexico was more exciting and had more space than California.

In 1941, his friend and cousin, Bridget Bate Tichenor, told him to look for a magical place in Mexico. She was a "Magic Realist" painter. In Cuernavaca, James hired a guide named Plutarco Gastelum. They discovered Xilitla in November 1945. Plutarco later had four children. James became "Uncle Edward" to them and often stayed at their home. This house was a castle-like building made of cement. Today, it is a hotel called La Posada El Castillo.

Building the Dream Garden

Between 1949 and 1984, Edward James built many unusual concrete structures. Some of them have very creative names. These include The House on Three Floors Which Will in Fact Have Five or Four or Six and The House with a Roof like a Whale. Another famous one is The Staircase to Heaven.

The garden also had many tropical plants, especially orchids. At one time, there were about 29,000 orchids at Las Pozas! James also kept many exotic birds and wild animals there. He even took his pet boa constrictors to a hotel in Mexico City once.

Some of the sculptures are huge, as tall as four stories high. The paths throughout the garden are made of steps, ramps, bridges, and winding walkways. These paths go up and down the valley sides. Building Las Pozas cost more than $5 million. To pay for it, James sold his valuable collection of surrealist art.

Many workers were needed to build these structures. For a typical project, over 40 masons, carpenters, bricklayers, and blacksmiths were often busy. From the start of Las Pozas until Edward James passed away, he employed over 100 local workers. When James died, Plutarco Gastélum stopped construction. This left some structures unfinished.

What is Surrealism?

Edward James loved the art style called surrealism. He believed he was born a surrealist. He created Las Pozas to show his own surrealist ideas. He often said that Mexico was "naturally surrealistic." He wanted his buildings to become part of that natural feeling. He worked hard to make his sculptures look surreal. At one point, he even brought electricity from Xilitla to light up the forest at night.

How the Structures Were Made

A very important artist who helped create the concrete sculptures was Jose Aguilar. He was a skilled Mexican carpenter. He used Edward James's drawings and designs. Jose Aguilar made wooden molds, and then cement was poured into them. When the cement dried, it took the shape of the mold.

At first, Edward James used his land in Mexico to grow orchids and create his own private zoo. So, many of the original buildings at Las Pozas were meant to house his pets. These included deer, flamingos, ducks, and boa constrictors. Jose Horna was the artisan who built the cages for the boa constrictors.

Most of the structures James created had no real purpose. Their main goal was simply to look beautiful and artistic. Edward James often said he wanted his buildings to blend in with nature. Many of his designs looked like plants, flowers, and mushrooms. There are arches that look like Indian shot leaves (papatla). You can also see concrete flowers and concrete birds. Edward James even built a house of concrete, bricks, and bamboo where he lived when he visited Mexico.

One of the most famous structures is "the stairway to heaven." This concrete building has columns that look like parts of an orchid flower. Two staircases spiral around these columns, meeting at a height of 20 meters (about 65 feet).

Who Owns Las Pozas Now?

After Edward James died in 1984, Plutarco Gastélum Esquer became responsible for Las Pozas. Plutarco was a photographer and a Yaqui Indian. He had met James when James first came to Mexico. Plutarco had always managed the construction of Las Pozas when James was away. He was also the true owner of the land called La Conchita.

However, keeping up Las Pozas was very expensive. Plutarco had to sell parts of the land. Because Mexican law says waterways are federal property, the land was opened to the public in 1994. This eventually led to it being declared a state cultural heritage site in 2006.

In 2007, a group called Fundación Pedro y Elena Hernández, along with the company Cemex and the government of San Luis Potosí, bought Las Pozas. They paid about $2.2 million. They then created Fondo Xilitla. This foundation now works to protect and restore the site.

Visiting Las Pozas

Since Las Pozas opened to the public in 1994, the town of Xilitla has seen many more tourists. Today, you can visit Las Pozas to see Edward James's amazing sculptures. You can also swim in the natural pools in the area. Guided tours are available. Many hotels and restaurants have opened nearby because the area has become so popular.