- Address: Antofagasta, Chile;
- Website: corporacionproa.cl;
- Height: 11 m.
What do deserters usually associate with travelers? Most often with an endless surface, devoid of elevations, bushes and trees. The more surprising is the statue of a hand in the desert. But this really exists on the territory of Chile . It is a local landmark that attracts thousands of tourists around it.
Where did the monument come from?
The statue of a hand in the desert of Atacama , called "The Hand of the Desert" is a human creation, which was installed 400 m from Highway 5. To see it, you should visit the area of Antofagasta. Outwardly, she completely copies the left upper limb of a person. At the same time, the statue of a hand in the Atacama Desert looks frighteningly natural, at least at first sight. Sand covers the base of the monument, it seems that the hand stretches to the sky from the ground itself. In fact, the hand in the Atacama Desert pops out from under the sand for only three quarters. The total height of the monument is 11 m.
The author of the sculpture is the Chilean master Mario Irarárrabel. According to the author, he personifies loneliness, grief and torment. Many people will agree with the sculptor, especially those who have a well-developed imagination, so they will quickly present the buried person. Explaining the size of the statue, the author expressed the opinion that they should lead to the idea of helplessness and vulnerability.
Tourist value of the statue
Tourists are not at all afraid of sculpture and are photographed with might and main against its background. The giant hand in the Atacama Chile desert brings huge profits, as it has been involved in many commercials and clips. This is a simple explanation: the more people see it, the more tourists will come to rest in the country.
Along with all the pluses, the inconvenience associated with the statue still exists - graffiti is constantly appearing on it, as a result, an unpresentable sculpture is regularly cleaned. Once a statue of the Hand of the Desert was laundered by volunteers, Chile and the authorities of Antofagasta organized a special event. The Ministry of Tourism was connected to the problem, after which the organization "Association for Antofagasta" took care of the monument.
Tourists who came to see the monument, the Hand of the Desert, Atacama , Chile, amazes at the heart. The statue has an amazing ability to attract travelers. When visiting the sculpture, remember that it is located in the hottest place in the world. Therefore, you must dress appropriately for an excursion. Such a meeting will remain in the memory for a long time, and leave memories in the form of a photo on the background of the hand.
How to get to the statue?
The hand of the desert is set 400 meters from the highway number 5, you can reach it by car.