Rittertreppe, Stone stairway in Blankenburg, Germany

Rittertreppe is a stone stairway with 41 steps carved directly into the rock face of the Teufelsmauer near Timmenrode. The steps climb steeply upward and provide access to higher sections of the rock formation.

The origin of the Rittertreppe is unknown. Scholars have speculated about a small castle on the rock, which such a stairway might have served, but no fortress is documented. The steps were cut into the rock at the Teufelsloch, and an older cross carving beside the lower section remains unexplained.

Beside the stairway, the rock carries several carvings. The most notable is an older cross cut into the stone to the right of the lower section; why it was made is unknown. The reason the stairway itself was cut is also unexplained.

The climb requires careful footing and sturdy shoes with good grip, as the steps are old and sometimes slippery. Visitors should ascend slowly and avoid the site during rain or wet conditions.

The lower flight of 13 steps ends at a large rock window of the Teufelsloch cave; the upper flight of 28 steps begins slightly to the west, at the edge of that window, and climbs to the top of the rock. Beside the steps are several rock carvings, including an older cross cut into the stone right of the lower part, whose purpose is unclear.