The list of ancient spiral stairs contains a selection of Greco-Roman spiral stairs constructed during classical antiquity. The spiral stair is a type of stairway which, due to its complex helical structure, has been introduced relatively late into architecture. Although the oldest example dates back to the 5th century BC, it was only in the wake of the influential design of the Trajan's Column that this space-saving new type permanently caught hold in ancient Roman architecture.
Apart from the triumphal columns in the imperial cities of Rome and Constantinople, other types of buildings such as temples, thermae, basilicas and tombs were also fitted with spiral stairways. Their notable absence in the towers of the Aurelian Wall indicates that they did not yet figure prominently in Roman military engineering. By late antiquity, separate stair towers were constructed adjacent to the main buildings, like in the Basilica of San Vitale.
The construction of spiral stairs passed on both to Christian and Islamic architecture.
Spiral stairs
Monument Location Country Date of construction Height Number of stairways CommentTemple A; SelinunteItaly2Temple of BelPalmyraSyriaTrajan's ColumnRomeItaly29.68 m 114 steps per turnColumn of Marcus AureliusRomeItaly29.62 m114 steps per turn Baths of CaracallaRomeItaly2Baths of DiocletianRomeItaly4Round Temple at OstiaRomeItaly1Santa CostanzaRomeItaly1Tomb of GaleriusThessalonikiGreece2Imperial BathsTrierGermany8Column of TheodosiusConstantinopleTurkeyc. 50 m1Total former column heightSt. Gereon's BasilicaCologneGermany16.50 mAncient staircase preserved to this height1Column of ArcadiusConstantinopleTurkeyc. 46.09 m1Total former column heightBasilica of San VitaleRavennaItaly2 A pair of stair towersGate of the Great PalaceConstantinopleTurkeyDate of evidence??Procopius (Pers. 1.24.43) refers to sortie down a spiral stairwaySangarius BridgeAdapazarıTurkey10.37 mHeight of arched doorway1Located in pier of triumphal arch at entrance of bridge
Gallery
See also Greek architecture Greek technology Roman technology Roman engineering
Footnotes
References
Bibliography
Further reading
External links
Traianus – Technical investigation of Roman public works