Patkul Stairs, Historical staircase in Old Town, Estonia
The Patkul Stairs is a stone staircase in Tallinn's Old Town that connects Nunne Street to Peace Court Street. It consists of about 157 steps climbing from the lower town to Toompea Hill, with several resting platforms along the route.
The stairs were built in 1903 to establish a permanent walking connection between the two sections of the city. They were created during a period when both districts were becoming increasingly integrated with one another.
The stairs serve as a meeting place where people from different parts of the city encounter one another throughout the day. They connect the rhythms of daily life between the lower town and the upper hill district.
The stairs are accessible from multiple entry points and the resting platforms offer places to catch your breath along the way. In wet weather the stone surface can become slippery, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.
The steps display different wear patterns and material qualities at different points, showing how they have been used unevenly over many decades. These visible differences reveal the history of daily foot traffic across the centuries.
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