Here are some of the most impressive staircases around the world
The Imperial Staircase, Savoy Castle, Valle d’Aosta, Italy (1904)
The spiral staircase in Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, known as the “miraculous staircase,” built without a center support and without nails.
The spiral staircase of Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of architecture’s most intriguing mysteries. Built in the 19th century, the staircase stands 20 feet tall, making two full 360-degree turns without any visible central support or the use of nails—only wooden pegs hold it together. According to legend, after the chapel was completed, the Sisters of Loretto prayed for nine days for a carpenter to build a staircase to the choir loft. On the final day, a mysterious man arrived on a mule, constructed the staircase using only simple tools, and disappeared without payment or a trace of his identity. Some believe the carpenter was St. Joseph himself, while others attribute it to an unknown master craftsman. To this day, architects and engineers remain puzzled by the staircase’s seemingly impossible design, making it a lasting marvel of both faith and craftsmanship.
The grand staircase, Palais Garnier Opera House, Paris, France (1875)
The Bramante Staircase, the Vatican Museums, Vatican City, (1932)
The double-spiral staircase, Château de Chambord, Chambord, France (1547)
The Baroque spiral staircase, Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria (1736)
The grand staircase, Würzburg Residence, Würzburg, Germany (1737)
The spiral staircase, Villa Farnese at Caprarola, Lazio, Italy (1559)
The Hall of Honour spiral staircase at Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania (1911)
The Inverted Tower, Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal (1911)
The Vertigo Staircase, Queen Victoria Building, Sydney, Australia (1898)
The Rococo staircase, Palazzo Biscari, Catania, Sicily, Italy (1763)
The Gustave Moreau Museum, Paris, France (1895)
The Halle State Courthouse, Halle, Germany (1905)
Space Asia Hub, Singapore (2011)
Livraria Lello bookstore, Porto, Portugal (1906)
