OT Staff
Staircases serve a practical purpose and often add to a space's visual appeal. However, in the case of the most exquisite staircases, their functionality often takes a back seat to their sheer beauty, leaving us in awe. These ten staircases worldwide are must-visit travel destinations.
The Tulip Stairs is a spiral staircase in the Queen's House, Greenwich. Designed by Inigo Jones in the 17th century, it's Britain's first self-supporting spiral stair. It's a masterpiece of English architecture with wrought ironwork and a spiralling form.
Designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932, the double helix staircase is a remarkable blend of Renaissance and modern design at the Vatican Museums. With an ornate balustrade and smooth curvature, it serves both functional and aesthetic purposes.
This staircase is a unique stairway art installation in Duisburg, Germany, by Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth. It resembles a roller coaster but is a walkable sculpture with a looping structure and panoramic views.
Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi designed the Spanish Steps in the 18th century. This iconic landmark of Rome is a sweeping Baroque stairway consisting of 135 steps, popular for gatherings. The house where the English Romantic poet John Keats spent the last months of his life faces the staircase.
Barcelona's Sagrada Família basilica, designed by Antoni Gaudí, contains unique spiral staircases within its towers. These stairs, which reflect Gaudí's surreal and organic style, wind up the towers of the basilica and provide stunning views of the city.
The Great Mosque of Samarra, built in the 9th century, features a unique spiral minaret staircase that exemplifies early Islamic architecture and engineering.
This glass staircase is an innovative feat of engineering and design, located in the KPMG building in Munich. The staircase is crafted from a single sheet of glass, exemplifying modern architectural techniques and creating a mesmerising visual effect.
The Royal Ontario Museum's Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, an addition designed by Daniel Libeskind, boasts a stunning crystalline staircase that contrasts the original museum building. The museum is home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects, and natural history specimens, and it is featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces.
Toronto's Aga Khan Museum, designed by Fumihiko Maki, showcases modern Islamic architecture through a stunning contemporary staircase that blends traditional aesthetics with modern forms.
The Loretto Chapel in New Mexico is known for its miraculous spiral staircase, built in the 1870s. With no visible means of support, legends attribute its construction to divine intervention.