Rahlstiege, Protected staircase in Mariahilf, Austria

Rahlstiege is a protected stone stairway in Mariahilf, Vienna, linking Rahlgasse with Mariahilfer Strasse and bridging a height difference of about 6.5 metres. At its upper end stands the Gänsemädchenbrunnen fountain, made by Anton Paul Wagner in 1886; at its foot, since August 2007, stands Franz West's Gerngross-Säule.

The staircase was built in 1870 during a time when Vienna was expanding its infrastructure and urban connections. It shows the construction methods and stonework techniques used during this period of 19th-century growth.

The stairway is named after the painter Carl Rahl, who gave his name to Rahlgasse in 1866, four years before the steps were finished. At the top stands the Gänsemädchenbrunnen, a fountain carved by Anton Paul Wagner in 1886, moved here from the Gänsemarkt and then from in front of the Mariahilfer Kirche.

Rahlstiege is an easily accessible foot path that connects different levels of the district and passes near shops and cafes. Visitors should note that the stairs are best accessed in good weather and comfortable shoes are recommended.

The staircase features carefully crafted stonework whose details show the effort Viennese craftspeople invested in everyday infrastructure. Such steps remain lesser-known today, even though they served as important connection points in daily life for district residents then and now.