Bali’s Gate of Heaven images are not what they seem. Here’s the truth behind them

The pictures show two massive stone monoliths whose reflections are seen on what appears to be a crystal-clear lake located underneath the stone blocks.

If you search the hashtag #GatesofHeaven on Instagram, you will be greeted with many images of a serene-looking place. The place is Pura Lempuyang Luhur temple located in Bali, Indonesia. The pictures show two massive stone monoliths whose reflections are seen on what appears to be a crystal-clear lake located underneath the stone blocks. However, a tweet from editor of Fortune Magazine Polina Marinova revealed the truth about how those beautiful pictures were clicked.

Marinova’s post sparked reactions among people. (Twitter/@@polina_marinova)

In case, you are wondering what we are talking about here is a picture of the place. In fact, social media platforms are flooded with many such images.

Pura Lempuyang Luhur temple located in Bali is popular among social media users as Gates of Heaven

Marinova took to Twitter and wrote “Proof that Instagram influencers have ruined everything. My hopes & dreams were shattered when I found out the “water” at the Gates of Heaven is actually just a piece of glass under an iPhone.”

It turns out that though the stone monoliths are there, the lake beneath them is missing, rather non-existent. The lake is actually an illusion that is created by photographers by holding a mirror beneath a smartphone, reports Business Insider.

Marinova’s post sparked reactions among tweeple and many shared their disappointing experience of visiting Pura Lempuyang Luhur temple. Check out what they said:

The locals have been doing this kind of staged photography for quite some time, reports The Sun. Moreover, one needs to wait for more than two hours in queue to get photographed.