Amazing Staircases Around the World

1. This cool sculpture is a piece of art designed by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, which the office workers of global accounting firm KPMG in Munich can enjoy on their way in to work. The architectural staircase, called Umschreibung (Rewriting), is a nine metre high double spiral of sleek steel. While it doesnt actually lead to anywhere and cannot be climbed, it makes for a great view especially when looking for a distraction from work. .....

Melk Abbey Staircase Austria

2. This impressive staircase can be found in Melk Abbey, one of the worlds most famous monastic sites located above the town of Melk and overlooking the river Danube. The rooms of the castle turned monastery contain permanent exhibitions and visitors come from all over the world to browse its ornate library and famous frescoes by Paul Troger. Dont miss the marble hall, a stunning example of Baroque architecture. .....

Chand Baori Abhaneri

3. The famous Chand Baori step well in the village of Abhaneri in Rajasthan, India, is one of the countrys architectural wonders and one of the most intriguing staircases in the world. The step well is located opposite Harshat Mata Temple and was built in the ninth century with 3,500 narrow steps and 13 stories. With a depth of 100ft, it is the deepest step well in India and was constructed to try to solve the problem of water shortages in Rajasthan .....

Red staircase at Livrario Lello Porto

4. One of the most exquisite bookshops in the world, Livrario Lello in the Portuguese city of Porto is home to this lavish red staircase, making its interior as stunning as its incredible Art Nouveau and Gothic Revival facade. Lello is one of the oldest bookshops in Portugal and opened in 1901. While the staircase is its centrepiece, with carved wooden banisters and glossy red steps, the shop also features a marvellous stained glass ceiling and orna .....

Musical piano stairs at Wulin Plaza Zhejiang Province

5. Chinas piano style stairs built at Wulin Plaza in Hangzhou make the appropriate musical notes when stood on. The 54 steps were installed to encourage people to walk instead of lazily take the escalator. The only problem could be too much noise if everyone starts taking the stairs. .....

Hartenfels Castles spiral staircase Germany

6. The wonderful staircase at Hartenfels Castle dates back to the 16th century and resembles a snails shell. During East German times it had to be closed to the public due to its decaying condition and in 1991 the first plans were initiated to restore the intriguing stairway made from sandstone and consisting of 53 steps. The stairs are around 20 metres high and are situated in the inner courtyard of the castle in Torgau. .....

St Pancras Renaissance London Hotels Grand Staircase UK

7. The Grand Staircase within the St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel is known as one of Europes grandest stairways and is among the most beautiful hotel staircases in the world. It has been the backdrop to films, such as Batman Returns, and the Spice Girls music video for the song Wannabe. Blessed with a cathedral like ceiling thanks to Sir Gilbert Scotts design it is now a stairway to explore and discover the Victorian age of industry and commerce .....

Tiger And Turtle Magic Mountain Duisburg

8. It may look like a rollercoaster but this unusual sculpture is in fact a staircase stretched through all kinds of curves. Located in Duisburg, Germany, the Tiger & Turtle Magic Mountain sculpture is the creation of German artists Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth. The interactive sculpture features 249 steps for visitors to explore in the day, when they can take in the views above the Rhine, and at night when the LED lights on the handrails illumin .....

Selarons Stairs Rio de Janeiro

9. This Brazilian masterpiece in Rio is the work of Chilean born artist Jorge Selaron who considers it as a personal tribute to the Brazilian people. Selarons Stairs, a mosaic staircase made from vibrant yellow, green and blue tiles inspired by the Brazilian flag, connects the neighbourhoods of Santa Teresa and Lapa. The staircase consists of 250 steps and measures 125m long. Selaron began work on the stairway in 1990, creating a constantly evolving .....

Palazzo Biscaris rococo staircase Sicily

10. The privately owned Palazzo Biscari in Catania is home to this stunning white Rococo style staircase decorated with stucco and beautiful frescoes above the door of the gallery. Built in the 17th century, the palace features a large double staircase in the inner courtyard, the Feasts Hall with a complex arrangement of mirrors, stuccoes and frescoes painted by Matteo Desiderato, plus a small dome for the orchestra. .....

Simonetti Staircase at the Vatican Museums Vatican City

11. This spectacular handrail designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932 is a masterpiece of the Vatican Museums in Italy. It is unlikely that when commissioning it the Vatican expected the Simonetti Staircase to become one of the most photographed pieces in the museums but it did! Made up of two wrought iron stairways (one going up and one coming down) that curve in a double helix, the Momo Staircase, as it is also known, was once used by all visitors to t .....

Monumental steps of Bom Jesus do Monte Braga

12. Get ready to climb if youre visiting the Portuguese sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga, as its monumental Baroque staircase is one of its best features, climbing 116 metres. The glorious ornamental stairway of granite and white plaster was commissioned by Bragas vertically challenged archbishop in 1723 and took 60 years to complete. Although there is no reason for its presence, the staircase remains the object of devoted pilgrimage and many .....

The Million Dollar Staircase at the New York State Capitol USA

13. The most prominent interior features of the New York State Capitol building are its three major staircases, which were lavishly carved in a variety of stone. The Million Dollar Staircase, officially named the Great Western Staircase, took 14 years to construct, from 1883 to 1897. As you may have guessed by its name, the staircase cost more than one million dollars. It was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson and built by Isaac Perry, and is renown .....

Grand staircase at the Museum of Islamic Art Doha

14. Located on the a man made island in Doha Bay in Qatar, the Museum of Islamic Art houses a collection of 4,500 pieces of Islamic art. The buildings own masterpiece is its grand double staircase set below a geometric dome in the main entrance of the museum. The steps are cut into its underside giving the illusion of an upside down staircase. .....

Dizzying stairs at Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris France

15. With striped stairs that create a dizzying effect when reflected in the mirrored walls and sparkly chandeliers, this staircase at luxury five star Parisian hotel Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris is the masterpiece of designer Philippe Starck who transformed the hotel in 2010 and created a sleek and stylish stairway. Theres more to the hotel than spectacular steps, such as a cool cinema, 149 bedrooms reflecting Starcks fresh style and one of Paris .....

The 16th Avenue Tiles Steps San Francisco

16. Created by Irish ceramist Aileen Barr and mosaic artist Colette Crutcher, The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, tucked away in the quiet neighbourhood of Golden Gate Heights on 16th and Moraga, is a stunning work of art and one of San Franciscos hidden gems. The 163 steps contain 2,000 handmade tiles and 75,000 fragments of tile, mirror and stained glass, which make up scenes of the land, sea and sky. The project involved community workshops and donated t .....

Tulip Stairs at the Queens House Greenwich

17. In London, the elegant Tulip Stairs of the Queens House in Greenwich were the first geometric self supporting spiral stairs in Britain. Although the stairs are named after tulips, it is believed the flowers in the wrought iron balustrade are actually fleurs de lis. The Tulip Stairs are the location of Rev R. W. Hardys famous ghost photograph, taken on 19 June 1966, which revealed what appeared to be two or three shrouded figures on the staircase. .....

External staircase of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo Venice

18. Adorned with a plethora of arches and resembling the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the external spiral staircase of the small Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo in Venice is the buildings best known feature. Known as the Scala Contarini del Bovolo (of the snail), the staircase leads to an arcade, offering a charming panoramic view over the rooftops of Venice. .....

Maxxi National Museum of the 21st Century Arts cutting edge steps Rome

19. Dame Zaha Hadid was the creator of the sleek, futuristic staircase at Romes Maxxi National Museum of the 21st Century Arts. The architect used swooping curves, impossible angles and dramatic views to style the museum of 21st century arts staircase in 2009. Whats more, the extraordinary stairs were finished in the thick black primer used as an undercoat for new cars and they rise up through the lobby with bare metal treads, disappearing far into .....

Rococo staircase at Electoral Palace Trier

20. Were in love with this elegant staircase at the Electoral Palace in the city of Trier, Germany. The south wing stairway oozes rococo glamour and style, and was the creation of artists Johannes Siez and Ferdinand Tietz in 1756. The building is one of the last examples of German Renaissance architecture and was once the residence of the Archbishop of Mainz. .....

Bueren Mountain Belgium

21. Bueren Mountain is not a real mountain. It is a 374 steps long staircase in Li .....

Stairs Above the Sea Spain

22. This beautiful staircase is located on the island Gaztelugatxe in Spain. Gaztelugatxe is a tiny islet on the coast of Biscay belonging to the municipality of Bermeo, in Basque Country (Spain).It is connected to the mainland by a man made bridge. On top of the island stands a hermitage that dates from the 10th century, although certain discoveries indicate that the date might be the 9th century.The hermitage is accessed by a narrow path, crossing .....

Spiral Staircase in Taihang Mountains China

23. A 300 foot (91,5m) staircase along a mountain face in the Taihang Mountains in Linzhou, China, offer the thrill of mountaineering without the danger. The hike up the stairs provides a great experience one will not easily forget, and no special gear is needed.However, due to safety and health concerns, the management has qualifications before anyone is allowed to ascend. Climbers must be under 60 years of age and are asked to fill out a form confi .....

Awaji Hyakudanen Japan

24. Awaji Yumebutai (or in EnglishStage of Dreams) is a complex array of buildings and other areas located on Awaji Island in Hy?go Prefecture, Japan.One of the of the gardens of Awaji Yumebutai is the 100 level garden (or in Japanese hyakudan .....

Moses Bridge Stairs Netherlands

25. Early 17th century Fort de Roovere is surrounded by a moat and was originally built without a bridge. Yet, as part of a recent restoration program, it required the addition of an access bridge.Out of respect for the fort .....

Canyon Steps Ecuador

26. This famous Canyon Staircase is located next to the waterfall Pailon del Diablo in Ecuador. The Pa .....

Santorini Stairway Greece

27. In 1715, the island inhabitants built a rough stairway into the side of the sheer mountain so they could hike to the summit. Before long, donkeys were enlisted to help carry cargo and passengers to and from the ships and town. In 1930, the stairway was improved and more donkeys were added to aid in the assent and decent. Finally, in 1979, a cable car was installed to automate the process but the most fun ride is still by donkey.The zigzag stairw .....

Schlossberg Stairs Austria

28. The main attraction in Graz is the Schlossberg (Clock Tower). It stands proud and is visible from all points in the city. Tourists and local visitors need to climb to the top to see the fabulous view of Graz and the surrounding area. The Schlossberg Stairs are located at the far end of Schlossbergplatz.The impressive stairs are cut into the rockface of the Schlossberg Hill and doubles back and forth up to the top of the hill and clock tower. Grea .....

Potemkin Stairs Ukraine

29. The Potemkin Stairs is a giant stairway in Odessa, Ukraine. The stairs are considered a formal entrance into the city from the direction of the sea and are the best known symbol of Odessa.Officially known today as the Primorsky Stairs, they were originally known as the Boulevard steps, the Giant Staircase, or the Richelieu steps. The top step is 12.5 metres (41 ft) wide, and the lowest step is 21.7 metres (70.8 ft) wide. The staircase is 27 metre .....

Haiku Stairs Hawaii USA

30. The Ha?ik? Stairs, also known as the Stairway to Heaven or Ha?ik? Ladder, is a steep hiking trail on the island of O?ahu.The trail began as a wooden ladder spiked to the cliff on the south side of the Ha?ik? Valley. It was installed in 1942 to enable antenna cables to be strung from one side of the cliffs above Ha?ik? Valley to the other.A building to provide a continuous communication link between Wahiaw? and Ha?ik? Valley Naval Radio Station wa .....

Bridge Stair Switzerland

31. The bridge over the Traversinertobel, a side valley of the Via Mala, is the latest structure of this kind designed by engineer J .....

Staircase as an Expression of Art in UK

32. The Universe Cascade is located on a slope that runs down the back of the Gardens of Cosmic Speculation (Dumfries, Scotland), forming an axis between the snail mound and the rear of the house and consists of a steep series of steps.A giant rock and a bench for contemplation were installed at each level for individuals to use as they climbed steeply upwards.The staircase is an extraordinarily dramatic structure rising up from a large pond, water p .....

Rue Foyatier stairway

33. The Rue Foyatier stairway in Paris, France, leads to Montmarte, one of the leading tourist attractions in Paris, with the Sacre Coeur basilica located on its top. The Rue Foyatier stairway, with its 300 steps, is one of the most stunning staircases in the world, as it runs along a railway of the funicular that takes visitors to the top in a matter of less than 90 sec. But, a walk up the stairs, though a little strenuous, is an amazing experience. .....

El Penol Stone

34. The La Piedra Del Pe ol in Columbia is a monolithic formation located at the town of Guatap in Antioquia, rising from the bottom of the hydroelectric dam of Pe ol Guatap. Also known as the El Pe ol Stone, or simply as La Piedra, the huge and heavy stone, made of quartz, feldspar and mica, has some rock breaks, used for constructing 650 stairs that lead to the top. Earlier, a viewing spot on top of the rock, which offers the view of the shore peri .....

Inca Trail staircase

35. The Inca Trail is an ancient route from the city of Cuzco, leading to the Machu Pichu in Peru. The trail makes several detours between the mountains and around the hills in this rugged topography of the region. The trail descends from a high point called Phuyupatamarka to include a staircase of about 1500 steps, some carved in granite. Again, a steep set of stairs as a part of the trail leads from Wi ay Wayna to Inti Punku. Some of the trail .....

Angkor Wat Cambodia

36. The steps to the upper levels of this ancient temple complex are steep... so steep that some tourists hoist themselves up with their hands. .....

Tianmen Mountain China

37. They say the geography of Pandora, the setting of Avatar, was modeled after the mountains that surround this steep staircase. .....

Lysefjord Norway

38. At roughly 4,444 steps, the Fl .....