Spooky History of Mexico’s Haunted Island of the Dolls

Guinness World Records shared the spooky history behind the legendary La Isla de las Muñecas (Island of the Dolls) in the channels of Xochimilco, just south of the Mexico City center. This small piece of arable land was covered with thousands of dolls by Don Julián Santana Barrera, a hermit who felt he had to pay tribute to a girl who had drowned in the area. Barrera claimed that he heard her ask for her doll.

The former owner of the island Julián Santana Barrera placed these dolls around the island for a very particular reason, and visitors to this day are said to take an offering before venturing onto it’s shores.

The island was vacated after Barrera’s death. He drowned in the same spot as the little girl to whom he paid homage. The dolls remained behind, as did copious amounts of insects. The dolls are considered to this day to be haunted, however, they have set a world record.

This is the world’s largest collection of haunted dolls there are thousands of creepy mutilated and decapitated dolls covered in cobwebs and insects and they’re found on Mexico’s Island of the Dolls or La Isla de las Muñicas. Some Guinness World Records titles have backstories that are just so compelling we have to share it.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.