Robinson Crusoe Cave
Chile, Vilparaíso region, Juan Fernandez Islands, Robinson Crusoe Island
Description:
Robinson Crusoe Cave is located on the island of the same name, part of the Juan Fernandez archipelago, which is located 560 kilometers from the coast of Chile. It was here that the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk lived alone for four years and four months, who served as the prototype for his famous Robinson Crusoe.
After a quarrel with the captain, Selkirk was landed on the shore of a deserted island, where he had to fight for his life. In the 1960s, a group of archaeologists from Chile, England and Japan discovered the cave. The remains of the first Robinson’s dwelling were searched for for 13 years by a team led by Japanese explorer Daisuke Takahashi. Scientists discovered the cave after they found fragments of the homemade Selkirk navigation device nearby.
Currently, the cave of Robinson Crusoe is one of the main attractions of the island. Tourists can stay at a nearby hotel or spend the night in a real cave, similar to the one where Alexander Selkirk lived.