POTEMKIN STAIRCASE (ПОТЕМКИНСКАЯ ЛЕСТНИЦА)

When Catherine II decided to build the city in 1794, she wanted to make it a true European city and to do so, she called on various foreign architects. Designed by architects Francesco Boffo and Avraam Melnikov, the staircase was built by the English architect Upton between 1837 and 1841. With its 192 steps and 10 landings, this staircase is certainly the most famous in the history of cinema, immortalized by Sergei Eisenstein in his film Le cuirassé Potemkine (1925). The particularity of its construction makes it a real curiosity: the upper steps are 12.5 m long and the lower ones 20 m long, so that the perspective is composed: from above you can only see the landings and from below you can only see the steps and not the landings. Originally, when it was built, this staircase was to serve as a gala entrance to Odessa when arriving by sea. But this was only achieved under the USSR, when the ferry terminal was finally completed. Since then, it has been considered the official entrance to the city from the sea, and represents its most famous symbol. The most beautiful panorama of Odessa can be seen from the stairs. Unfortunately, a few years ago the beauty of this panorama was ruined by the construction of the huge tower of the Hotel Odessa. Just behind him, and therefore invisible from the observation post, a small Orthodox church dedicated to Saint Nicolas des Marins was built. For the lazy, a free funicular ensures the ascent and descent along the stairs (Фуникулер, open from 8am to 11pm. Ticket 5 UAH).