Villa Epecuén facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Villa Epecuén
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Tourist village
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Ruins of the town
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| Country |  Argentina |
| Province | Buenos Aires  |
| Partido | Adolfo Alsina |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Elevation | 97 m (318 ft) |
| Population
(22 January 2024)
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| • Total | 0 |
Villa Epecuén is a fascinating ghost town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It sits on the eastern shore of Laguna Epecuén, a large lake. This town is about 7 kilometers north of Carhué.
In the early 1920s, Villa Epecuén became a popular place to visit. People traveled there easily by train from Buenos Aires. Several railway lines, like the Sarmiento and Midland Railways, brought visitors to the area. An Englishman helped develop tourism here. He promoted the lake, saying its waters had special healing powers. Many people believed this, and the town grew very popular. At its busiest, Villa Epecuén could host over 5,000 visitors!
Contents
The Story of Villa Epecuén
A Popular Tourist Spot
Villa Epecuén was once a lively tourist village. It was founded in 1920. People came from all over to enjoy the lake and its supposed healing waters. The town quickly grew, offering many services for visitors.
Before the flood, Epecuén was a bustling place. It had about 280 businesses, including hotels and guesthouses. From the 1950s to the 1970s, around 25,000 tourists visited each summer. The town's population reached about 1,500 residents at its peak.
The Great Flood of 1985
On November 6, 1985, a rare weather event caused a huge problem. A nearby dam and the protective wall around the village broke. Water from the lake began to flood the town. The water level kept rising, eventually reaching 10 meters high.
Villa Epecuén became completely flooded and unsafe. The village was never rebuilt after this disaster. Many of its ruins are now covered in a thick layer of white and grey salt. This gives the town a unique and eerie appearance.
Life After the Flood
For many years, after the floodwaters went down, only one person lived in Villa Epecuén. His name was Pablo Novak, born in 1930. He returned to his home in 2009, after the town had been underwater for 25 years.
A documentary called Pablo's Villa (2013) tells his amazing story. Pablo lived among the ruins until he passed away on January 22, 2024. After his passing, Villa Epecuén became officially known as a deserted village.
Epecuén in Pop Culture
Villa Epecuén's unique, submerged look has made it famous. It has appeared in TV shows like Abandoned Engineering and Mysteries of the Abandoned. These shows explore incredible abandoned places around the world.
The town was also a filming location for the 2010 movie And Soon the Darkness. Even famous cyclist Danny MacAskill filmed one of his amazing street trials videos there! Its ghostly landscape provides a dramatic backdrop for many creative projects.
See also
In Spanish: Villa Epecuén para niños
