Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte

Caltagirone, Italy

Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte is a set of world-famous steps in Caltagirone. It was built in 1606 in order to connect the ancient part of Caltagirone to the new city built in the upper part. The staircase, over 130 meters long, is flanked by balcony buildings and is today one of the identifying monuments of the city.

In 1844, the staircase underwent modifications, among which the elimination of rest areas stands out, which results in a lower inclination.

Since 1954, the steps of Santa Maria del Monte have been entirely decorated with polychrome ceramic tiles, following the ancient local artisan tradition.

The figurative themes of the ceramics are floral or geometric, and represent the Arab, Norman, Angevin-Aragonese, Spanish, Renaissance, Baroque, eighteenth-century, nineteenth-century and contemporary styles.

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Details

Founded: 1606
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Fernanda “Fashiononandoff” Garbarini (6 months ago)
Lovely stairs but was some work are being in progress when I visit - nice walk around mosaic and shops all the way
Joe Sidonio (6 months ago)
It's an impressive staircase and not for the short of breath. Each riser on the staircase is faced with tiles of different patterns - the only way to check this is by climbing all of them. There are some shops to the sides, selling ceramics (obviously) - the most disappointing thing for us was that on the day we visited, there were large scale repairs taking place right in the middle of the steps.
Natalie Anurada (8 months ago)
The Staircase of Santa María del Monte in Caltagirone, Sicily, is a stunning and iconic landmark which was built in 1606 to connect the upper and lower parts of the town. The staircase features 142 steps, and what makes it unique is that each step is decorated with hand-painted ceramic tiles, showcasing intricate designs that reflect the town's rich tradition of ceramics. The tiles on the staircase vary in pattern and color, featuring geometric shapes, floral motifs, and figures inspired by Sicily’s history and culture. The staircase is especially vibrant during the annual "La Scala Infiorata" festival, where the steps are adorned with flowers arranged in intricate patterns, or during the celebration of the feast of St. James, when the steps are illuminated by thousands of candles. The Staircase of Santa María del Monte is a testament to Caltagirone's craftsmanship and is a beautiful example of the fusion of art, history, and architecture.
Gregg Sharpe (8 months ago)
Just wow! Walking around this beutiful old town and then you see it. Rising, rising, rising...142 steps for what appears almost straight up. So very cool. A lot of people took their time and walked to the top. We were on our first visit and opted to wait till next time as Caltagirone is just beautiful. Oh stairs we will conquer you next trip!
Austin Watson (10 months ago)
Very neat piece of history, not super crowded and pretty with the flowers placed. We managed to make it here in a special weekend celebration.
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