The World’s Most Popular Staircases Ranked

Our research also explored the world’s top historic staircases – those built by pre-industrialised civilisations – with Machu Picchu in Peru and Angkor Wat in Cambodia coming out top in the ranking.

Machu Picchu translates to ‘Old Peak’ in the ancient Quechua language, referring to its location within the mountains. Built in the 1400s, it served as a symbol of the Incan Empire and was originally the site of an ancient Incan city. The site features the Temple of the Sun and the Intihuatana stone, which acted as a solar clock. The beautiful architecture and views attract over a million visitors per year and its trail contains 1,600 steps. It was named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

Angkor Wat dates back even earlier. Built between 1110-1150, it is known as the largest religious monument in the world. The five central towers of Angkor Wat symbolise the peaks of Mount Meru, which according to Hindu mythology is the dwelling place of the gods. The 377-step staircase is said to remind climbers that heaven is difficult to reach.

In fifth and sixth place are Sigiriya (Lion Rock) in Sri Lanka and the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe in Spain. The former counts 378,856 Instagram hashtags and a Google search volume of 67,100. The latter, meanwhile, ranks with 82,686 hashtags on Instagram and an annual search volume of 8,740.

Originally built as a fortress, Sigiriya was constructed in 477 and was later used as a monastery until it was abandoned in the 14^th century. Climbing the 1,200 steps leads tourists to a panoramic view of the lush surroundings which attracts a million visitors per year.

The San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a ninth century structure sitting on the island of Gaztelugatxe, and features a zig-zagged staircase with 241 steps. The island was also used to film Game of Thrones Season 7. The subsequent increase in footfall, to around 2,500 visitors a day, has left the rocks more vulnerable to erosion and leading to concern amongst Spanish authorities.

Our research also explored the best staircases in capital cities around the world. In first and second place are the Tokyo Tower in Tokyo, Japan and the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy. The staircase within the Tokyo Tower boasts a huge 1,130,367 Instagram hashtags, search volume of 135,000 and 10,000 daily visitors, making it one of our highest-ranking staircases overall. The Spanish Steps have 268,696 Instagram hashtags and a search volume of 94,100.

With 600 steps leading to an observation deck, Tokyo Tower provides tourists with a magnificent view of Japan’s capital. Based on the Eiffel Tower and at 333 metres tall, the structure was completed in 1958, briefly becoming the tallest freestanding tower in the world.

In fifth and sixth place come the Stairs of rue Foyatier in Paris, France and the iconic steps featured in The Exorcist in Washington D.C., USA. The former count 1,403 Instagram hashtags and a search volume of 780. In sixth, the haunting stairs featured in The Exorcist have 1,336 hashtags and a search volume of 2,000.

Named after a French sculptor, the Stairs of rue Foyatier were opened in 1867 and count 222 steps leading to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, a Roman Catholic Church and key Parisian landmark. There is also a funicular railway alongside the staircase for accessibility.

The 75-step Exorcist staircase was originally built in 1895 to serve as a lightwell and is now recognised as a historical landmark. According to local Washington D.C. folklore, every time a person attempts to count the number of eerie steps, they will end up with a different answer.

Finally, our data ranked the best staircases in the UK. In first place come the Durdle Door Steps in Dorset and in second, the Great Fire Monument in London.

The Durdle Door Steps boast 278,776 Instagram hashtags along with an annual search volume of 2,840. And the Great Fire Monument has a total of 20,799 hashtags and a search volume of 2,270.

The Durdle Door is a beautiful, natural rock formation in Dorset, and its 88 steps were built to provide a path directly to the attraction. In 2012, the original steps began to crumble away due to harsh weather and fully collapsed in 2013 before being reconstructed two years later. This area brings over 200,000 visitors every year.

The Great Fire Monument in London was built between 1671 and 1677, originally as a reminder of the Great Fire of 1666 – one of the most significant and devastating events of the capital’s history. Today, the monument is the oldest ticketed attraction in London and welcomes around 230,000 visitors a year to climb the 311-step spiral staircase. At the top of the staircase is a panoramic view of the city.

In fifth and sixth place in the UK staircase ranking are Nelson Stairs and Nancy’s Steps, both situated in London. The Nelson Stairs have 787 Instagram hashtags and a search volume of 2,020. Nancy’s Steps, on the other hand, count a smaller volume of 20 hashtags and a search volume of 2,730.

The Nelson Stairs are within Somerset House, a five-story historical landmark which was originally built in the 18^th Century. The current staircase is a replica built in the 1950s after the Second World War destroyed the original set. The Somerset House and the Nelson Stairs bring in three million tourists each year.

Finally, in sixth place, Nancy’s Steps are surviving fragments of the 1831 London Bridge designed by John Rennie and built by his son. The steps were the scene of the murder of Nancy in Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, hence the name, and are situated next to the London Bridge and HMS Belfast, right in the middle of the city.