Queen's Staircase

The Queen's Staircase is a walkway of 65 steps (originally 66) in Nassau, the capital city of The Bahamas. It was carved out of solid limestone by 600 slaves between 1793 and 1794 to create a direct route from Fort Fincastle to Nassau. It was later named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the 19th century, and is now a popular landmark of Nassau.

Queen's Staircase
Staircase
Construction	1793–1794
Opening date	1794
Steps	65 (originally 66)
Height	102 ft (31 m)
Surface	Limestone
Dedicated to	Queen Victoria
Coordinates: 25°04′23.3″N 77°20′15.6″W

Description

The Queen's Staircase is located within the Fort Fincastle Historic Complex and leads to Fort Fincastle itself, which is situated partially on Bennet's Hill, the highest point of Nassau.^[1] Bennet's Hill is located in Downtown Nassau, next to Princess Margaret Hospital and the Grosvenor campus of the University of The Bahamas.^[2] The Queen's Staircase has a total rise of 102 feet (31 m) and a step-count of 65 (formerly 66). It has water cascading alongside its steps to a pool below. The base of the stairs leads to a walkway that goes between high stone walls, tropical plants and tropical trees.^[3]

History

A group of 600 slaves began construction in 1793 on a staircase and road to connect Fort Fincastle – completed that same year – to Nassau below. With limited tools, the slaves were forced to carve into solid limestone to fabricate the stairs and road.^[1] The staircase was later named in the 19th century in honour of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, who ended slavery in the British Empire.^[4][5] Although tour guides often claim that the number of steps correspond with the number of years Queen Victoria ruled, this is untrue; Queen Victoria reigned for a little under 64 years, from 1837 to 1901.^[3][6][7]

See also

• Stairs § Notable sets of stairs