We use them all the time in our lives: in our homes, our offices, in stores, and around town. Staircases are something we don't think much about, except when there's no escalator to make things easier for us.
Thought all stairs were mundane? Not these. All of these staircases are beautiful and have interesting stories. Not all are available to climb, and some even exist just to make a statement, but they all make a (stair)case for rethinking taking the stairs the next time you have the option between them and an escalator.
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Chichen Itza
Built sometime between 750-900 A.D., Chichen Itza is one of the new seven wonders of the world and was the largest of the Mayan cities. This particular building is just one of many and is known as the Kukulcán pyramid.
Inverted Tower, Sintra, Portugal
This Inverted Tower is on the grounds of the Quinta de Regaleira, a palace that was constructed in 1910. Also known as the Initiation Well, this inverted tower was never used as a water well. Instead, it was for ceremonial purposes, including Tarot initiation rites. The 27-meter staircase's spaces and landings all have significance to Tarot mysticism.
Chand Baori, Abhaneri, India
Built between the 8th and 9th centuries, Chand Baori is a 13-flight step well that was created to collect rain water, and could fill up between half and two thirds full. This one, which is the largest of its kind, is located at the front of the Harshat Mata Temple in the northern city of Jaipur.
Umschreibung, Munich, Germany
This piece of art isn't open to the public to climb, in the courtyard of the global accounting firm KPMG Deutsche Treuhand-Geshellschaft, but it certainly makes quite the statement.
Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Built in the 1880s by an unknown carpenter, the staircase has no center beam and no support other than at the base and the top of the stairs. There aren't even any nails or glue holding it together. It's a mystery as to how the staircase is freestanding.
Sky Walk of Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China
The longest spiral staircase in the world, this stamina-crushing, open-air staircase begins on the 32nd floor and ends on the 64th floor. The tower was briefly the tallest building in the world, surpassing the CN tower before conceding its new title to the Tokyo Skytree in 2011.
The Tiger and the Turtle Staircase, Duisberg, Germany
While this may look like a thrilling roller coaster, it's actually a 249-step staircase that's open to the public both day and night. And yes, the loop is blocked off so the public can't climb on those dangerous steps.
Stairway to the Sea, Cinque Terre, Italy
Believe it or not, this is a popular beach in Cinque Terre (pronounced CHEEN - ke TEHR - re). People sunbathe on top of the rocks, then jump into the water to cool off.
The Guatape Rock, Colombia
This massive monolith is grounded just on the outskirts of Medllín, a government-made reservoir. Despite the fact that two thirds of the monolith is underground, it still stands over 200 meters high. The staircase that visitors can scale, up to the top, consists of 649 steps. Thankfully, the stairs lead up to food vendors and breathtaking 360 degree views at the top.
Las Pozas, Xilitla, Mexico
While these stairs to nowhere look as if they've been around for centuries, they were actually built by the English, semi-exiled poet, Edward James in 1947 during the Surrealist movement. This is just one of 36 pieces in his 20-acre sculpture garden, where he also grew orchids and housed exotic animals. Today, the grounds are undergoing new ownership and protection by the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico.