Heilige Stiege, Sacred staircase in Endenich, Germany.
The Heilige Stiege is a staircase with 28 marble steps that leads to the choir of the pilgrimage church sitting on Kreuzberg hill. Brass crosses mark certain steps, and paintings of Christ's Passion line the walls.
An archbishop commissioned a prominent architect in 1751 to build this reproduction of a Roman sacred staircase. The project became one of that architect's final major works.
Visitors walk the steps while praying at each stage of their ascent. The route guides people through moments of reflection that lead toward the altar at the top.
The staircase is open to visitors on specific days throughout the year, including Good Friday and a religious festival in autumn. The structure remains visible from outside during all seasons.
Brass crosses on the second, eleventh, and twentieth steps carry special religious meaning. These markers reveal a layer of spiritual intention that visitors might otherwise overlook.
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