FX.co ★ World’s most extraordinary staircases

Vessel, United States

Opened to the public in 2019, Vessel is a maze-like vertical structure of more than 150 staircases zigzagged together. Located in the heart of New York, Manhattan, it is a 46-meter-tall construction, consisting of 80 landings for visitors to climb. This honeycomb-like 600-tonne structure is made in the form of a vessel expanding upward. It looks fascinating thanks to bronzed steel used in construction. Vessel’s final cost is estimated at $200 million.

Tiger and Turtle, Germany

Tiger and Turtle is an unusual installation, built in Duisburg, Germany, in 2011. It resembles a roller coaster but is a walkway with stairs. The vertical loop of the 200-meter-long structure is unwalkable. The landmark is especially popular at night when the steps are illuminated.

Selaron Steps, Brazil

Selaron Steps is the world-famous staircase in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was designed by artist Jorge Selarón who decided to decorate an ordinary, unremarkable staircase next to his house with tiles in the colors of the Brazilian flag. It took him over 20 years to cover 215 steps with tiles.

Staircase of Santa María del Monte, Italy

The town of Caltagirone, Sicily, Italy, has long been famous for its ceramic art. Nowadays, several hundred workshops producing majolica tiles are located there. Ceramics can be found literally everywhere on the streets. However, the town’s most striking landmark is the Staircase of Santa María del Monte. In the middle of the previous century, all 142 steps of the installation built in 1608 were decorated with tiles.

Chand Baori, India

There is no evidence regarding the construction of the stepwell. Historians only suggest that it was built in Rajasthan, India, between the 8th to the 9th centuries. Chand Baori is a 30-meter-deep well with a long corridor of steps leading to the water. Consisting of 3,500 steps, Chand Baori is a remarkable and one-of-a-kind construction.

El Peñón de Guatapé staircase, Colombia

The El Peñón de Guatapé staircase is one of the most majestic structures with steps in the world. This 220-meter-tall construction has a zigzag-like shape and over 600 concrete steps. At the top of the rock, there is an observation deck and a 3-storey tower with a restaurant inside. Climbing the Rock of Guatapé is like walking up to the 35th floor of a skyscraper.