Queen's Staircase

Queen's Staircase
Staircase
Construction	1793–1794
Opening date	1794
Steps	65 (originally 66)
Height	102 ft (31 m)
Surface	Limestone
Dedicated to	Queen Victoria
Coordinates: 25°04′23.3″N77°20′15.6″W / 25.073139°N 77.337667°W / 25.073139; -77.337667

The Queen's Staircase is a walkway of 65 steps (originally 66) in Nassau, the capital city of The Bahamas. It was carved out of solid limestone by 600 slaves between 1793 and 1794 to create a direct route from Fort Fincastle to Nassau. It was later named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the 19th century, and is now a popular landmark of Nassau.

Description

The Queen's Staircase is located within the Fort Fincastle Historic Complex and leads to Fort Fincastle itself, which is situated partially on Bennet's Hill, the highest point of Nassau. ^[1] Bennet's Hill is located in Downtown Nassau, next to Princess Margaret Hospital and the Grosvenor campus of the University of The Bahamas. ^[2] The Queen's Staircase has a total rise of 102 feet (31 m) and a step-count of 65 (formerly 66). It has water cascading alongside its steps to a pool below. The base of the stairs leads to a walkway that goes between high stone walls, tropical plants and tropical trees. ^[3]

History

A group of 600 slaves began construction in 1793 on a staircase and road to connect Fort Fincastle –completed that same year –to Nassau below. With limited tools, the slaves were forced to carve into solid limestone to fabricate the stairs and road. ^[1] The staircase was later named in the 19th century in honour of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, who ended slavery in the British Empire. ^{[4] [5]} Although tour guides often claim that the number of steps correspond with the number of years Queen Victoria ruled, this is untrue; Queen Victoria reigned for a little under 64 years, from 1837 to 1901. ^{[3] [6] [7]}

See also

• Stairs § Notable sets of stairs

References

1. Koster-Walton, Chelle (18 October 2010). Explorer's Guide Bahamas: A Great Destination. The Countryman Press. p. 55. ISBN   9781581578539.
2. Stark, James Henry (1891). Stark's History and Guide to the Bahama Islands. James H. Stark. p. 111.
3. Permenter, Paris; Bigley, John (15 April 2011). Nassau & the Best of the Bahamas. Hunter Publishing. p. 125. ISBN   9781588431981.
4. "Queen's Staircase". Bahamas.org. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
5. "Queen's Staircase Nassau Bahamas". Bahamas Go. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
6. "Queen's Staircase Nassau". The Islands of The Bahamas. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
7. Williams, Edgar Trevor; Veldman, Meredith (20 May 2005). "Victoria – queen of United Kingdom". Encyclopædia Britannica . Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 11 June 2025.