Chile is home to many natural wonders you can’t find anywhere else, including Atacama Desert. One of its most popular attractions is an enormous hand rising through the sand that will make you wonder if your eyes are playing tricks on you.
The sculpture is known by the name Mano del Desierto aka the Hand of the Dessert. It isn’t easy to reach it, but once you do, it will feel like you entered a set of a sci-fi movie taking place on a different planet.
Calling this sculpture huge would be an understatement. It stands at 11 meters and has a base of iron and concrete. The sculptor Mario Irarrázabal chose Atacama Desert as its home for a reason—he wanted to fill its empty space with something imposing people would search for.
The meaning of this massive sculpture is up for interpretation, but Irarrázabal said it’s supposed to emphasize human vulnerability and helplessness. This explanation certainly makes sense since the Hand of the Dessert is surrounded by nothing but sand and you’ll feel fully exposed to the forces of nature once you get there.