Gravitational Anomaly

The Gravitational Anomaly in Karpacz is a small spot in Karpacz Górny, on Strażacka street, where drivers and pedestrians get the impression that objects and liquids move up the road by themselves.

What the illusion involves

On a short stretch of road, a ball let go on the roadway or water poured from a bottle appears to roll uphill instead of downhill. The impression is strong enough that visitors often test it themselves, placing various objects on the asphalt.

Why the eye is deceived

The phenomenon is an example of an optical illusion. In reality, the road at this spot slopes downward along the valley side, even though it leads up the river. The surrounding terrain and the slope of the nearby hillsides make us read the direction of the road's incline the opposite way from how it actually runs.

Practical information

• Address: Strażacka street, Karpacz Górny.
• Nearby are, among others, the Wang Temple and the Wild Waterfall.
• Further into Karpacz it's worth adding the Multimedia Museum of the Karkonosze or the World of Model Railways to your route.
• This is a short stop on a walk around Karpacz Górny, best planned together with other attractions in the area.