Have you ever been to the Alps? This beautiful mountain system is the largest in Europe. It is among these fabulous mountains that magnificent Switzerland is located. There are many applicants for records in the Guinness book. One of them is the longest staircase in the world - Niesenban. Tourists can climb it to the mountain Nizen. If you look at the Alps on a map, then this place falls on the canton of Bern. In our article you will learn about this Swiss attraction, as well as about other long stairs of the world.
A bit about Mount Nizen
In the world there are many amazing tourist places testifying to the creativity and perseverance of the human mind. It is on Mount Nisen that the longest staircase in the world is built. Next to it is a path for the funicular. The length of the longest staircase in the world is 3.5 km.
Mount Nizen is characterized by an almost regular pyramidal shape. Next to it is the picturesque alpine lake Thun. In height, Nizen rises to 2,362 meters. In German, "low" means "sneezing." For its clear form, the mountain was called the "Swiss pyramid." But not the appearance and location became the reason that the mountain fell into the Guinness Book of Records. This is due to the longest staircase in the world, with 11,674 steps.
What was the staircase built for?
In 1906, they decided to build a funicular railway on Mount Niesen. The construction went on for four years and was completed in 1910. So the Niesenbahn funicular appeared. Every day, thousands of tourists coming here climb it to the top of the mountain to enjoy the beauty of the Swiss Alps.
In parallel to the funicular line, they decided to build a staircase. For starters, it was designed for technical work. Through it, workers could reach any Niesenbahn site.
How does the staircase serve today?
Today, the Niesenbahn funicular is very popular among tourists. And the staircase on Mount Niesen in Switzerland has already become part of it. For the public, the staircase is open only once a year. And on the funicular in 30 minutes you can climb the mountain at least every day.
But what about those who want to walk the stairs? This is possible only by pre-registration to participate in the annual high-speed ascent (competition) to the top of Nizen.
They decided to hold such an original contest here annually since 1990. It is usually held in June. Five hundred people are allowed to register. Sometimes not everyone can get the opportunity to climb. Many are signed up to participate one year in advance.
The fact that you can only go up the stairs once a year, and even by appointment, makes it even more mysterious. The record for overcoming 11 674 steps was the time of 52 minutes. And so all year round the staircase is closed for the safety of tourists.
Panorama from above
Why should a tourist climb Mount Nizen at least by funicular? From there you can admire the panorama of the most magnificent peaks of Switzerland, ancient historical cities. Among them are Spitz, Interlaken, Kandersteg. At the very top of the stairs is the Berghaus Niesen building. Entering there, you can plunge into a hundred years ago. Inside this house is a restaurant. Prices are high there, but the view from the windows is simply bewitching. Green valleys and Lake Thun are visible from above. The restaurant will delight you with delicious dishes of traditional Swiss cuisine.
Fleurly Staircase in Norway
There are a lot of unusual stairs in the world. In Norway, for example, you can stroll along the longest wooden gangway. This attraction is located in the small town of Fleurly. The wooden staircase stretches for 1,600 m. It consists of 4,400 steps. It was built to rise to an important facility - power plants. Construction began at the beginning of the XX century. In the photo above you can observe this staircase, which has no fences. It passes near the pipeline.
A traveler who decides to walk along a wooden ladder can see the beautiful historic buildings in the Art Nouveau style. Huge pipes running along the stairs supply water to the power plant. Anyone who is afraid to climb stairs can take a funicular along a historic landmark.
The pipeline and stairs are in a very beautiful mountainous area. In late spring and summer, many tourists come to the town of Fleurly. At this time of the year, a peculiar tunnel of green leaves forms above the stairs. The nature around is simply mesmerizing. It is not easy to climb the stairs to the very top, and not all travelers can do it.
Sky Gate in China
China is a huge country that conquers many travelers. It is rich in majestic mountains and endless plains, about which legends add up. Have you ever heard of a staircase leading not just to the mountains, but to the caves? What could be more beautiful than a natural arch in the rocks? Such a huge arch, like a giant hole, formed in Tianmen Mountain. The famous name of this natural masterpiece is "Heaven's Gate".
This place is located in the northwest of the Chinese province of Hunan. It was there that the Tianmen Park of the same name was spread. Photos of the sights you see a little higher. Others prefer to call the huge hole in the mountains "Paradise Gate", "gateway to heaven", "Tenmen Cave."
The opening in the mountain was formed long ago due to erosion of rocks and leaching of rocks with water. The appearance of the "Heavenly Gate" falls on the year 263 AD. It was then that a large-scale earthquake occurred. After strong tremors, a large piece of rock broke off. So a peculiar arch was formed into the sky.
This opening in the rock is very large. The height of the mountain with a hole is 1519 m. The depth of the arch is 60 m, height 131.5 m, width 57 meters.
The fabulous gates in the mountain look simply unrealistic. Many want to see them. Local residents attributed to them supernatural properties. On the way to the "Paradise Gate" the traveler is accompanied by a halo of mysticism. 999 steps of a special staircase lead to the opening.
The fastest way to get to the arch is by cable car, the length of which is 7 455 m. More lazy travelers go along this path. By the way, this cable car is also listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest mountain cable car on Earth. At the end of this road is a Buddhist temple, which was built by the Tang Dynasty. Many try to climb the "Heaven's Gate" on the stairs. They say that after passing these 999 steps, a person brightens his soul and becomes closer to God.