Palafito houses above the water in Castro, Chiloe, Chile

Palafitos Houses are distinctive examples of Chilote architecture. The large houses are located on the shores of the Gamboa River and the Lemuy Canal. They are supported by thick pieces of wood embedded in the ocean floor and covered in tile roofs. At low tide, it is possible to see where the support structure anchors into the floor of the ocean; at high tide, the houses seem to float.