The Illusory Window in Wrocław, Poland

Hidden in plain sight on Wrocław’s bustling market square is a window that doesn’t quite exist. Known as the Iluzoryczne Okno (“Illusory Window”), this curious architectural feature is painted onto the façade of a Baroque townhouse, giving the impression of a real window where none was ever built. Its clever trompe-l’œil design was created to maintain the symmetrical appearance of the building, fooling the eye with a perfectly shaded frame and panes that seem to reflect the sky. The building itself is a historic townhouse that now houses the restaurant and hotel Dwór Polski. The illusion is...