Escadaria Selaron and its mosaic staircase in Rio de Janeiro

Escadaria Selaron in Rio de Janeiro is a long concrete stairway transformed into a mosaic artwork by Chilean artist Jorge Selarón in the late twentieth century. In the Lapa and Santa Teresa districts, the staircase carries ceramic tiles in the colours of Brazil alongside pieces sent from many other countries.

A staircase turned into a work of art

The structure itself is an urban stairway linking streets on different levels between Lapa and Santa Teresa, two historic neighbourhoods on the edge of central Rio de Janeiro.the stairway between Joaquim Silva Street and Pinto Martins Street runs up from the busy traffic of Lapa towards the hillside streets above. The stair surfaces are ordinary concrete, but every vertical riser is faced with coloured ceramic pieces, creating an uninterrupted band of mosaic that climbs through the city.

Jorge Selarón, born in Chile, began working on the staircase in 1990 and continued until his death in 2013.he moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1983 and started decorating the steps in front of his house as a gift to Brazil. Over the years the project expanded beyond the initial flight of steps to cover adjacent walls and landings. The most recognisable parts of the composition use strong reds framed by greens, yellows and blues, echoing the colours of the Brazilian flag and Selarón’s native Chile.

Tiles from Brazil and from around the world

The risers of Escadaria Selaron carry ceramic tiles in many formats, from industrially printed pieces to hand-painted panels, as well as mirrors and other fragments.the staircase has 215 steps measuring about 125 m (410 ft) in length, covered in over 2,000 tiles collected from more than 60 countries. Early in the project Selarón used tiles recovered from building sites and discarded material in Rio de Janeiro, but the mosaic later incorporated donations from travellers bringing pieces from their home countries.sources describe contributions representing more than 60 different countries and several hundred hand-painted tiles by Selarón himself.

The overall effect is dense and layered. Many tiles carry images of landmarks, flags or everyday scenes from cities across the world, while others mark weddings or other personal events sent to the artist. Between these pieces, Selarón added his own recurring motif: a pregnant woman with elongated features, painted in variations on several hundred tiles. Because visitors continued to swap and add tiles, sections of the staircase evolved over time, with newer fragments sitting beside early work on long stretches of red background.

Escadaria Selaron in the streets of Rio de Janeiro

Escadaria Selaron stands within Rio de Janeiro’s historic core, linking the nightlife district of Lapa with the steep streets of Santa Teresa.the stairway lies close to the Lapa Arches and carries the address Rua Joaquim Silva, Centro, Rio de Janeiro. At the lower end, tiled walls frame the first flights, with broad red bands set around central compositions that include Brazilian motifs and the name of the city. Higher up, the steps narrow slightly and the mosaic becomes denser, with individual tiles at eye level that reward close inspection.

The staircase reaches a substantial height difference between its base and upper landing, and visitors who walk the full length encounter both the sweeping view of colour from below and the detailed images embedded along the way.descriptions emphasise the stairway as a continuous mosaic surface rather than a series of isolated panels. From the upper sections, glimpses of surrounding houses and hill streets appear above the tiled parapets, underscoring the way the artwork is woven into ordinary city fabric rather than isolated in a gallery.

Visiting Escadaria Selaron: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Escadaria Selaron sits between Rua Joaquim Silva in Lapa and streets in Santa Teresa in central Rio de Janeiro, and is reached on foot from the surrounding roads.
• The approach involves climbing a long outdoor staircase with many stone steps, some of which can be busy and require attention underfoot.
• The official language is Portuguese and the currency is the Brazilian real.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Escadaria Selaron

Where is Escadaria Selaron in Rio de Janeiro?

Escadaria Selaron is an urban staircase between Lapa and Santa Teresa in central Rio de Janeiro, with access from Rua Joaquim Silva and nearby hillside streets.

What should visitors expect on a visit to Escadaria Selaron?

Visitors encounter a long outdoor staircase whose risers and surrounding walls are covered in ceramic tiles, mirrors and mosaics, with many images from Brazil and other countries.

What makes Escadaria Selaron distinctive among city stairways?

The staircase is distinctive because Jorge Selarón turned an ordinary flight of steps into a continuous mosaic using thousands of tiles, including many hand-painted pieces and international donations.