How Many Steps in Potemkin's Stairs?

Odessa is perched high above sea level on a steppe plateau which, before Potemkin’s Stairs were built, had to be accessed by a rickety wooden staircase and a series of paths winding down to the sea. The original stairs consisted of 200 steps when it was designed in 1825 – and known as the Primorsky Stairs. The harbor at Odessa was extended in the 20th century, resulting in the loss of 8 steps and, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Battleship Potemkin, the 1925 silent movie by Eisenstein. Uprising, the Primorsky Stairs were renamed. There are now 192 steps and 10 landings to Potemkin’s Stairs.

The original wooden stairway finally led to the decision, in 1837, to construct a more permanent structure - an enormous stairway which eventually took five years to build although some sources suggest it wasn’t completed until 1847. The Russian Emperor Nicholas I approved the concept of building this permanent structure in order to have easier access to the developing Odessa port, following which Prince Vorontsov gave approval to Boffo’s design. The original set of steps was made from sandstone which they imported from Trieste and which lasted for nearly a century. However, due to excessive erosion, in 1933 the steps needed to be replaced and, on this occasion granite was used to minimize future erosion and each of the ten landings was finished in asphalt. The port of Odessa was extended in the middle of the 20th century, resulting in the loss of eight of the steps. As a result, there are now only 192 steps making up the Potemkin’s Stairs.

Over the years there has been a catalogue of problems surrounding the construction and maintenance of the Potemkin’s Stairs, culminating in 2004 when a new version of the original funicular was built to carry people up and down the length of the stairs. The original funicular was built in 1906 and operated for a further 50 years before it was considered to need replacing and eventually dismantled. In 1970 an escalator replaced the obsolete funicular but, during the 1990s it broke down and was unable to be replaced due to the repair money being reported as having been stolen. Rumors exist of engineering problems during the actual construction of the stairs which is hardly surprising considering the sandstone and clay infrastructure of the region. The construction site was also riddled with landslides and sources of underground water – again, quite typical of this kind of petrology.

The most amazing feature of 142 meter length, Potemkin’s Stairs is in its design which creates an optical illusion: from the Primorsky Boulevard at the top of the stairway, looking down, all that can be seen are the 10 landings – you are unable to see even a single one of the steps leading up to any of the landings. However, if you look up from below you are only able to see the 192 steps – and none of the landings. That is quite an amazing feat for the original designer of Potemkin’s Stairs, Franz Karlovich Boffo. However, there is more: looking down from Primorsky Boulevard the stone parapets, on both sides, give the appearance of being parallel when, in fact they are not – the width at the bottom is twice that of the stair-width at the top.

Standing at the top of the flight of Potemkin Stairs is probably the best place to get a good look at the panorama below, taking in Odessa’s harbor and port developments. Apart from the incredible views, there are many other interesting sights around the city of Odessa and, the best way to get maximum enjoyment is to get a good night’s rest between excursions – it’s a big city! I am sure you will agree that your best option when it comes to comfort is to rent an apartment in Odessa and take advantage of the many facilities we have made available to you for the duration of your stay.