Atlas Obscura readers shared the most remarkable collections of risers and treads that they’ve ever encountered.
Astoria Column
Astoria, Oregon
“The spiral staircase leading to the top of the 125-foot-tall, 1926 Astoria Column in Astoria, Oregon.” — val
Museum of Islamic Art
Doha, Qatar
“Inside the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. R.I.P. the remarkable designer/architect I.M. Pei who just recently passed.” — mnml
Liège-Guillemins Railway Station
Liège, Belgium
“A train station in Liege, Belgium. Or the Death Star. I can’t remember which?” — mnml
Scărișoara Cave
Apuseni Mountains, Romania
“These steps leading to some kind of underground glacier in Romania.” — phneuromancer
Pozzo di San Patrizio
Orvieto, Italy
“The staircase at the Pozzo di San Patrizio in Orvieto, Italy. This is a double helix staircase built of brick. The double helix means that people don’t bump into each other as they get water. This well gave Orvieto a strategic advantage when under siege—by digging this deep well inside the town, they assured a water supply.” — Pinball_and_Lobster
Neue Rathaus
Munich, Germany
“I found myself wandering around Munich’s Neue Rathaus. Lots of cool little mysterious staircases.” — tralfamadore
Hotel Bristol Palace
Genoa, Italy
— Asta
Herefordshire Beacon
Malvern Hills, United Kingdom
“Glorious walk up to the Malvern Hills in the United Kingdom.” — cornockers
Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao
Bilbao, Spain
“This stairway is at one of my favorite hotels, Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao, which is directly across from the amazing Guggenheim.” — randysfo
Quinta da Regaleira
Sintra, Portugal
“Very hard to get a great shot of this staircase. It goes down into the ground like a well. Definitely worth seeing this and all of Regaleira house and grounds.” — calico
Fineview Steps
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“These are the Fineview Steps on the north side of Pittsburgh (north of the Allegheny River). The steps are part of a fitness circuit in Pittsburgh, but really show the ghosts of Pittsburgh’s illustrious past and are reflective of the challenges Pittsburgh continues to face today.” — civan93
Livraria Lello Bookstore
Porto, Portugal
“This set from a bookstore in Porto, Portugal, is one of my all-time favorites.” — mnml
Tiger Cave Temple
Krabi, Thailand
“We loved the climb to the Tiger Cave Temple, a Buddhist temple north-northeast of Krabi, Thailand. You must go early to see the sun rise and climb 1,237 stairs to the top.” — tiapatrol
Palacio Postal
Mexico City, Mexico
“From the first moment I saw the interior of the National Post Office in Mexico City, I was mesmerized. It is also known as the Palacio Postal, or the Palacio de Correos de México, and is located in downtown Mexico City, the most entrancing city on Earth.” — rossau
Yerevan Cascade
Yerevan, Armenia
“My favorite stairway encountered on my travels is probably the Cascade in Yerevan, Armenia’s capital city. Constructed from 1971 and inaugurated in 2009, this monster links the central area of the city with Haghtanak Park. […] The Cascade is divided into a series of levels, each marked by a small central terrace, or landing, between the steps on either side. The terraces are adorned with fountains, flowerbeds, and modern sculptures. For those electing not to walk up the stairway, there is another surprise in store—underneath the steps are a series of seven escalators running along its entire length.” — rwhiting123
Tianmen Shen
Zhangjiajie, China
“It certainly is not a secret stairway, but it is pretty amazing. Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to tour several national parks in China. Heaven’s Gate in Tianmen Mountain National Park was one of my favorites. It’s 999 steps to the top!” — jfleischman
Music Box Steps
Los Angeles, California
“I lived in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, which was built in the early 20th century when Disney, Charlie Chaplin, Mack Sennett (Keystone Cops!), and other film companies migrated from New York. The Silver Lake itself is a reservoir, and it’s ringed by a number of very lovely, lush hills, with tight, twisting roads and bungalows mixed with mid-century modern, and more recent, homes. My favorite part of the neighborhood was the wonderful number of hidden stairways, some of which are better known and more used than others. The Atlas includes one particular set of these stairs, where Laurel & Hardy filmed a movie.” — Philip_Shane
The Exorcist Steps
Washington, D.C.
“Growing up in Washington, D.C., especially as a kid, these stairs CREEPED ME OUT, especially at night. They lead from the D.C. end of the Key Bridge up, up, up a very steep cliffside to the Georgetown neighborhood. At night they are dimly lit and fer sure totes fulla ghosts.” — Philip_Shane
No comments:
Post a Comment