These Dizzying Photos of Church Ceilings Will Make Your Head Spin

Pope Francishas drawn huge crowds (and caused giant traffic snarls) in the cities on his US tour. For a more peacefulscene,check out the work of globe-trotting photographer Richard Silver, whohas a new take on some of the West’s most traditional architecture. In his series “Vertical Churches,” Silver takes vertigo-inducing panoramic photos of church interiors from around the globe.

St. Monica’s Church

(This Is Colossal )

Silvers has traveled aroundCuba, China, India, Iceland, Italy, and the US on hispsychedelic tour of the Christian world. Seated among empty pews, hetakes a series of photos, combining them intoa seamless vertical panorama.

Some of Richard Silver’s “Vertical Churches”

(Richard Silver)

Scrolling through Silvers photos will give you flashbacks to the wonderful and disorienting feelings of tipping your head back on a swing, watching the world roll by, and hopefully not losing your lunch.

The long nave of a churchisa perfect fit for this effect, although you don’t usually encounter a tire swing in the middle of a place of worship. Sometimes Silver’sinteriors looklike insect endoskeletons or the inside of a ship’s hull, other times like vaulted venus fly traps waiting to devour you. After looking at his panoramas,you way want to bring some Dramaminenext time you venture inside a church.