Cueva del Diablo

The Devil’s Cave

Useful Information

Location:	At La Puerta, a village 6 km west of Potosi. From Potosi F1 towards Challapata. (-19.5668635, -65.8211040)
Open:	no restrictions. [2025]
Fee:	free. [2025]
Classification:	River Cave Cave Church Geotopes named after the Devil
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:
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History

1737	first written mention of the ravine and its "demonic presence" by Bartholomew Arzáns de Orsúa y Vela.

Description

Cueva del Diablo (Devil’s Cave) is a quite common name for a cave, many countries have such caves, and in all cases there is some kind of legend how the devil was involved. The first written mention of this cave is from 1737, Bartholomew Arzáns de Orsúa y Vela described the ravine and its "demonic presence". The Jesuits are credited with driving the devil out of the gorge and cave by carving an image into the rocks in front of the cave entrance. The legend tells that a black streak in the rock face at the cave entrance was caused by the devil, who fled from the holy image of St. Bartholomew. This cave is actually the site of the Chapel of San Bartolomé, a simple cave chapel. This is the where every year on the 24th-26th August the towns people from Potosi gather and celebrate San Bartolomé. This festival is called Los Ch'utillos.

But there are more legends, one tells that María de La Paz, the daughter of one of the landowners of Los Planes de Renderos, was so beautiful that she was courted by Satan himself.

The original name of the cave was Mullu Punqu, the other name was given by the Spanish conquerers. It is quite small and only one of numerous small caves along the gorge. There are caves along the road and the river, but the Cueva del Diablo is located higher up at the wall of the canyon, and not visible from the road. There is a steep trail to the cave entrance. Another nearby cave is called Chullpa Pata Cave and accessible only by a climb.

The cave contains pre-colonial cave paintings. Unfortunately the heavy use by the locals resulted in numerous campfires inside the cave. This created soot on the walls and ceiling which covered the paintings and made radiocarbon dating quite difficult.