Cliffs

These black pillars of volcanic basalt seem to call mountain climbers with an unbreakable siren song.

This centuries-old Italian chapel hangs midway down a sheer cliffside.

The largest lake in the Faroe Islands seems to be held hundreds of feet above sea level thanks to an optical illusion.

These quaint French houses dangle precariously over a precipice.

A historic observatory precariously perched at the "Top of Europe."

The tallest sea cliffs on the Southern Hemisphere are a climber's worst nightmare.

A fifth-century temple improbably built into the side of a cliff.

A fantastical group of cliffside stairways, bridges, and twisting paths carved out of stone provide a surreal coastal hike.

A labor of love built by local hang-gliding enthusiasts, this ideal launch spot was outlawed by the authorities and has since been largely abandoned.

Cliffside houses provide a spectacular view from their perch above the valley.

Naturally protected city carved from a rock face.

A Spanish town built into the cliffs.

An enchanting monastery in the Spanish countryside appears lifted from a fantasy tale.

These homes carved into the mountains seem to defy the laws of nature.

This abandoned bunker looks out over the Atlantic from its clifftop perch.

Cliffs that hold fossils, including the earliest known reptile, dating back more than 300 million years.