On various occasions, nature and love intertwine to create unique stories. In Japan, for example, there is the legend of Sakura and Yohiro, two young lovers who merged into a cherry tree so they could be together. In Argentina, there is the story of the guitar forest, a more modern tribute to love through nature.
The story begins around 1974 with Pedro Martín Ureta and his wife Graciela Yraizoz. This couple was traveling by plane over the agricultural fields of the Argentine Pampas, when looking out the window, Graciela managed to glimpse a farm that had a forest in the shape of a milk bucket.
Image: Steffen Egly
Impressed by the natural architecture of the place, Graciela asked her husband to create a guitar in their fields in honor of the passion they both had for music. Pedro, without much emotion about the idea, commented to his wife: “Later, we will talk… about that later.”
A few years later, Graciela would die from a brain aneurysm, leaving her husband and four children. Tragedy now invaded the family and the only way to deal with the pain of loss was through the creation of Graciela’s.
Image: NASA
The guitar forest began to take shape in 1977, two years later NASA satellites could already capture the peculiar figure from above. As a way to honor the memory of his wife, Pedro and his children created a unique forest full of essence.
The guitar forest and its valuable natural essence
Outside of fantasy, the guitar forest became a symbol of a new natural love story. With more than 7,000 making up the instrument, the family now enjoys a spectacular forest full of love. In addition to winning our hearts for its meaning, the forest has also gained local and international recognition as a symbol of love.
Image: Google Earth
Anyone can observe it from above or on Google Earth. Decades later, Pedro found love again, but that does not erase the beautiful figure that he created in tribute to his unfinished love with Graciela. And you, for whom would you make a forest?