Optical Illusions - Atlas Obscura
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Optical Illusions

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Birmingham, England

'A Life in the Year of the Chinchillas'

The ceiling of this shopping arcade is adorned with six trompe-l’œil artworks, including a grim funeral scene.
Cambridge, England

Fata Morgana Teahouse

The design of this seemingly translucent two-story tower in northwest Cambridge was inspired by an optical illusion.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The Floating Mosque

Al Rahmah Mosque appears to "float" atop the Red Sea.
Borromini's Perspective Gallery of Palazzo Spada
Rome, Italy

Borromini's Perspective Gallery of Palazzo Spada

This gallery commissioned by Cardinal Spada is known for its magnificent optical illusion.
The bull and elephant illusion at Airavatesvara Temple.
Kumbakonam, India

Airavatesvara Temple’s Optical Illusion

This temple contains what might be the world's oldest optical illusion.
Video

On Scotland's Electric Brae, Cars Really Do Seem to Roll Uphill

4:54
Normanton Church.
Normanton, England

Normanton Church

The sanctuary seems to either float atop the water or sink into the dirt, depending on the water level.
Trampantojo Art of Romangordo.
Romangordo, Spain

Trampantojo Art of Romangordo

This small Spanish village is home to dozens of public paintings meant to trick the eye.
A spectacular fata morgana of a single boat on the horizon.
optical illusions

The Most Interesting, Spectacular Mirages Aren’t in the Desert

Spoiler alert: Try the Arctic or Sicily instead.
Sabrina Imbler April 22, 2019
The "hill."
Karpacz, Poland

Karpacz's Gravitational Anomaly

On this Polish road, an optical illusion makes cars seem to roll uphill.
The stone man can be seen on the side of the cliff, looking out over the island.
La Palma, Spain

Stone Man of Pico de la Fuente Nueva

A rocky face gazes out over an enormous volcanic crater.
Painted scribe vendor and real-life customer.
Hanoi, Vietnam

Trompe-l'œil Murals of Hanoi

Life-sized painted illusions let pedestrians blend in with the street art.
Frangokastello Castle.
Frangokastello, Greece

Frangokastello Castle

Every spring, locals see the shadowy figures of a ghost army of slain Greek soldiers descend upon this ruined fort.
Amanohashidate.
Miyazu-shi, Japan

Amanohashidate

Turn around and stick your head between your legs for the best view of this tree-covered sandbar.
LED dance show from Liepsnose Studios.
Vilnius, Lithuania

Vilnil Museum of Illusions

Things aren't quite what they seem at this mind-bending museum.
The tunnel of books.
Yangzhou Shi, China

Yangzhou Zhongshuge

Mirrored floors and arched shelves create the illusion of an infinite tunnel of books.
The gravity hill.
Comuna Budești, Romania

Cavnic Gravity Hill

A spooky spot along the road where things mysteriously seem to move uphill by themselves.
The descent of the feathered serpent, Kukulcan.
statues

7 Places That Throw the Best Shade

In the most literal sense.
Kerry Wolfe August 1, 2017