According to Cee, we should all forego the elevator and take the stairs, letting our feet AND lungs negotiate the steps. It’s part of her “Which Ways” series — Steps or Stairs — under her weekly Fun Foto Challenge.
Care to go up and down with me?
I live on the first floor (one above the ground floor) of a former Liberty-style palazzo (palace) that was built in 1925 — later expanded then converted to a palazzo in condominio (apartment building) — and overlooks Campo Marzo, Vicenza’s main park that lies just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Centro Storico (Old Town Center).
My floor — only two apartments — is where the original owners lived, and the floor was referred to back then as the piano nobile (noble floor).
From the moment I clear the main entry door into the palazzo, I take six flights of stairs (four outside my flat, two inside) and a total of 52 steps upward to finally get to the master bedroom on the second floor of my two-story abode.
More times than not, I take the stairs, not the lift, up to the piano nobile; so, I guess you could call me a StairMaster (sorry, I just couldn’t resist).
The short video below showcases a few steps and stairs that I’ve encountered. Some have been around a long, long time, while others have only been in use within the past six years.
You’ll see pavers laid down by Etruscans, Romans and laborers in the employ of Chinese emperors for their respective dynasties.
Master craftsmen from Medieval and Renaissance times are on display, too.
And, I’ll give you a few views of the marble, wood, steel and iron staircases — fixed and modular — from around my palazzo and inside my creative hideaway.
Going up?
©The Palladian Traveler | ©Tom Palladio Images
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Marvelous photos!! I really enjoyed walking up the down staircases with you! Thanks for sharing.
Cee — Thanks for giving steps and stairs their due 🙂
Beautiful photographs and presentation, with very enjoyable music!
Beth — Happy to hear you enjoyed the photos and music.
Vary cool. Made my dev wait with his questions until I finished watching! ;o)
I’m impressed. Putting hubby “on hold” until the video finished. Thanks!
not hubby. the developer who needed my help to answer a few questions he had… at work. don’t have time to blog at home. Kids won’t let me… LOL 😉
Thanks for the tour with musical accompaniment, Tom. 🙂
Sylvia – Glad you enjoyed “stepping out” with me.
Tom, your banner photo is absolutely gorgeous.. where did you take it?
From the loge of the Basilica Palladiana. What you see is about half of Piazza dei Signori in Vicenza, IT. Hope you enjoyed the stairs ‘n’ steps, too 🙂
Yes, I did, but the header took my breath away 🙂
I like to think of you living on the noble floor! It looks lovely! =^.^=
Thanks Bailey. Living on the “piano nobile,” I guess you could call me an AristoCAT 🙂
You are an inspiration – to climb more stairs even if they lead to nowhere. If you go down the up staircase do you get somewhere or upwhere? Is getting upwhere better than getting downwhere? Where ever they lead, all your stairs are beautifully presented.
Oh, they do lead somewhere. I walk up and down those stairs daily. Thanks for climbing with me.
Seeing your wonderful series makes me realize I need to take more photos of staircases. The orange circular one is fascinating.
Emily — That orange (actually red in person) staircase was out of place in the 500-year old Basilica Palladiana here in Vicenza. That’s where I took the shot. Glad you enjoyed my steps/stairs.