What you want to know about the stairs of Selarón
Escadaria Selarón or the stairway of Selarón was created by Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón. Sometimes it’s called the “Lapa Steps” (Escadaria da Lapa) because the stairs are located in the neighborhood of Lapa. He settled in Rio in 1983 and he declared that the stairs were his tribute to the Brazilian people.
Where are the stairs?
The stairs are located in the neighborhood of Lapa. The steps run from Joaquim Silva Street to Pinto Martins Street, officially known as Manuel Carneiro Street, and connect the Lapa and Santa Teresa neighborhoods.
History of the stairs
In 1990, Jorge Selarón started to renovate the broken stairs that were in front of his house. His neighbors didn’t like it that he chose bright colors to paint the stairs, but eventually they started to appreciate his work. He mostly used the colors of the Brazilian flag; blue, green and yellow. In the beginning it was just a fun little project. He was working as a painter but after a while the stairs became more and more important and he started to sell his paintings to fund his new passion. After working on the stairs with paint he started to decorate the stairs with tiles and mirrors that he found on the streets of Rio. Scavenging construction sites and piles of waste his stairs evolved in a beautiful mosaic artwork. Because of his vision and handiwork it became more and more well known by the locals. They started to contribute with ceramic tiles and over time tourists started to send tiles from all over the world to him as well.
Creator Jorge Selarón
Jorge Selarón was born in 1947 and traveled a lot before settling in Rio de Janeiro in the eighties. During this time he was working as a sculptor and a painter. He started to update the stairs not as a passion project but just to improve the stairs. Only after working on it and getting a vision, did it start to change. He became obsessed with the stairs and sold all of his paintings to fund the new project. Because of lack of funds his phone was cut off multiple times and even was threatened by being evicted from his home. But every time he was able to continue. Selarón referred to his work as a “tribute to the Brazilian people,” reflecting his deep connection to his adopted country. Despite facing financial difficulties and the challenges of maintaining such a large project, Selarón continued to work on the steps.
Information about the steps
The stairs contain 215 steps, measuring 125 meters or 410 feet long. They are covered by more than 200 tiles. Tiles from over 60 countries are part of the stairs right now. Some of the tiles are complete, others are broken to create an intricate mosaic. When you visit the site you will see that besides the colors of the Brazilian flag, red is very present on both sides of the stairway. These red tiles Selarón started to add after finishing the steps themselves in 2000. Red was his favorite color, and also one of the main colors of the Chilean flag. The stairs changed and evolved constantly and that’s what he loved about it. ‘It is never complete and I will work on this crazy unique dream until the day that I die.’ And that’s what happened. He was found dead on the stairs on January 10, 2013.
Special tiles
When you visit the site, you’ll notice numerous hand-painted tiles depicting a pregnant African woman. Selarón never provided a detailed explanation about her, only mentioning that she represented a “personal problem from the past.” The true story behind the pregnant woman remains unknown. Various theories suggest she might have been Selarón’s ex-wife who either passed away or left him, but the exact story remains a mystery.
There are specialty tiles with scenes from different countries, football teams and birds. There is lots to see.
After U2 and Snoop Dogg recorded their video clips, the stairs became even more famous and it’s one of the most visited sites in Rio. Today, Escadaria Selarón stands as a symbol of artistic passion and cultural fusion, drawing visitors from across the globe to marvel at its beauty and the story behind its creation.
If you have any questions after reading this blog or if you have any suggestions please let me know in the comment section down below.
Is Rio de Janeiro accessible for wheelchair users?
Colorful stairs
This site is not accessible for wheelchairs because the site is made of stairs. You are able to see it from down below and that is a beautiful view.
Other places like bigger museums and sites are usually accessible.
Café’s and restaurants
There are so many places where you can enter but a lot of places don’t have ramps. Bathrooms in smaller places usually are upstairs. You can always go to a shopping mall because they have food courts that are accessible.
Public transport
Not good. Some busses have a ramps but a lot of them have steps. The busstops are not alway even and you will need help for sure. The metro is better but I didn’t see people with wheelchairs. For a hassle free trip it’s easier to use Uber or taxi.
Toilets
If you go inside malls or other public places you will have a designated toilet for wheelchair users.
Items I love while traveling
Mosquito bite relief
Instead of bringing another liquid I started to bring my amazing, small mosquito bite relief clicker. You place it on your bite, click a couple of times and it releases a small electrical discharge which inhibits histamine release – less histamine means less itching and swelling. Love it!
Travel utensils
This super sleek utensil sit is beautiful and practical for when you are on the road. The plastic utensils you get at airports I don’t love and the paper straws are terrible. I love that this kit comes with a brush for the straw and even has chopsticks. Ps. Put the knife and fork in your checked luggage.
Travel adapter
Definitely a must have for all travelers who go to different countries all over the world. I especially like this one because you can detract the different plugs and there are 4 usb ports.