Vogelsauer Treppe, Historic staircase in Elberfeld-West, Wuppertal, Germany.
Vogelsauer Treppe is an outdoor staircase in Wuppertal's Elberfeld-West neighborhood spanning 241 steps across two sections. The steps are constructed from basalt lava and framed by substantial stone retaining walls that support the hillside.
The lower section with 110 steps was built in 1904, and the upper section with 131 steps was added in 1929. The expansion responded to growing residential development on the hillside and the need to improve connections between the slope and the valley.
The staircase links residential neighborhoods on the Nützenberg slope with the valley floor and has shaped how people move through this district for generations. It reflects how the city solved the challenge of connecting steep hillside communities with lower-lying areas, becoming part of everyday life here.
The staircase is freely accessible and can be walked at any time, with the lower section more easily reached than the upper sections. Since the steps are quite steep in places, visitors should wear proper footwear, especially when conditions are wet or rainy.
The entire staircase was constructed from basalt lava, a volcanic material prized for its durability and dark gray appearance. This distinctive material gives the structure its striking look and has proven its longevity over more than a century.
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