Wall of Tears (Muro de las Lágrimas)

The Wall of Tears, a 65-foot (20-meter) structure on Isla Isabela, stands as a stark reminder of a somber chapter in Ecuador’s history. From 1945 to 1959, under the rule of President José María Velasco Ibarra, the island housed a penal colony where prisoners were compelled to construct the wall using heavy, jagged volcanic rocks. Despite its imposing height, the wall served no practical purpose. Today, visitors can walk along the base, observing the rough, uneven stones and reflecting on the harsh conditions endured by those who built it.