“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 1

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across

When it comes to architecture, stairs are supposed to help us get from point A to point B safely. But sometimes, it feels like the designer either skipped class or had a vendetta against ankles. Here comes the internet’s favorite question: “Who approved this?” usually asked with a healthy dose of disbelief, pain, and a slight limp.

People have been sharing some of the most dangerously hilarious stair designs that make you wonder if gravity was ever consulted. From stairs that end in walls to ones that seem to defy every known building code, here are some examples of staircases that are more like obstacle courses.

#1 Stairs For People Who Aren’t Afraid To Die And Who Enjoy The Nauseating Feeling Of Vertigo

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 2

#2 Concrete Steps Stained In Brown And Beige Stripes, Made To Look Like Wood. Stripes Are Parallell With Steps. Unable Identify Number Of Steps

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 3

#3 Ayo, The Pizza’s Here! Image Description: A Flight Of Stairs That Goes Straightforward For 13 Stories Without Turning

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 4

#4 This Stair Is At “Pico Da Tijuca”, Rio De Janeiro, Brasil

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 5

#5 A Set Of Stairs Going Down With A Metal Handrail

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 6

#6 I Am Amazed By These Stairs… Are They Carved In Marble? Won’t It Be Slippery?

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 7

#7 Stayed In London Last Fall. Bathroom Was Upstairs

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 8

#8 Steps Are Complete!!!

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 9

#9 Looking Down A Window Lit Rail-Less Stairwell. Dark Planks Across A Central Point With No Added Support

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 10

#10 A Wood Staircase Is Covered With Decorative Stones Leaving Only A Narrow And Snaking Path For The User

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 11

#11 I Just Found In An Unrelated Group Saying “New Design”

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 12

#12 Oh Yes, Good Old Huayna Picchu, Legend Says A Couple Of Tourists Die Each Year (Pic Is From Google, But Ive Been There, Its Scarier In Real Life, And Its Always Wet)

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 13

#13 Found In An Airbnb Listing. Imagine Being Drunk, Trying To Walk Down These, Stepping On The Wrong Side, And Breaking Your Legs

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 14

#14 Stone Stairs So Steep And Narrow They’re Like Climbing A Ladder Almost Straight Up

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 15

#15 In Brussels, The Vast Majority Of Bars, Cafes And Restaurants Have Their Toilets Down Horrifying Stairs

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 16

#16 Francesco Librizzi Studio Designed This Staircase For A House In Milan That Was Built In 1900

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 17

#17 A Fire Escape Of The 38-Story Copan Residential Building In São Paulo, Brazil

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 18

#18 Left, Picture Of Stairs From Top-The Wood Planks Run Parallel To Stair Edges Seemingly Forming A Flat Surface. Right, Steps Viewed From Bottom After Fall

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 19

#19 Tom Dixon’s Mykonos Villa Is On The Market

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 20

#20 A View Down A Flight Of Stairs Made Of Some Sort Of Wooden Parquet

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 21

#21 Stairs Hanging From The Ceiling Of A Gas Holder I Didnt Go All The Way Up Far Too Bouncy For My Liking LOL

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 22

#22 Finland. The House Was Built In 1930. Fire Escape Ladder, “Routed” To Each Apartment

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 23

#23 A Set Of Granite-Effect Stairs That Resemble Those Right-Left Space-Savi G Stairs, But Each Step Has A Little Half Step After It

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 24

#24 Fire Stairs On A Building In Vietnam Where Handrails Are Only On The Top Floor

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 25

#25 8 Helical Stone Stairways Going Down Into A Deep Circular Hole In The Ground

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 26

#26 I’m On Holiday In Cardiff And Let’s Just Say That Medieval Architecture Does Not Meet Modern Safety Standards

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 27

#27 Now Imagine It Filled With Water, Because It’s A Bath Tub

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 28

#28 There Seems To Be No Good Reason At All To Make These Steps So Wonky. I Almost Broke My Neck

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 29

#29 Someone Commented The Man Built This To Connect With A Daughter Who Passed Away, But I Really Have No Idea Of The True Story

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 30

#30 (Photo Taken At Fort Knox Me) Stairs Leading Down Into The Murky Water Almost Completely Covered With Slippery Seaweed

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 31

#31 I Present To You, My Basement Steps

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 32

#32 I Think This Fits In This Group.. I Made 8 Of These 25’ Long Snakes For Private Suites At A Hotel In San Diego Called The Lafayette

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 33

#33 Okay, But, What Are The Stairs For?!

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 34

#34 Very Narrow, Very Rounded Concrete Stairs Cut Into A Steep Sloping Wall. Stairs Lead To What I Can Only Assume Is The Abyss

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 35

#35 Very Narrow Stairs Covered In Dark Plain Carpet, Every Step Seems To Be Different Length And Maybe Even Height.

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 36

#36 Ruined External Stairs Leading From One Roof To The Other. Venice

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 37

#37 This One Takes The Cake. It’s Like Climbing Stairs, But With Your Legs Apart. A Fall From Here Would Be So Bad

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 38

#38 Not One, But Two Amazing Orange S**g Carpeted Spiral Staircases Adorn This 70s Masterpiece Home In Boulder Colorado

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 39

#39 Extremely Steep, Sloped Mountain Located In Saint Helena, With A Woman Sitting On The Upper Most Part Of The Steps, Facing Down Towards An Ocean

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 40

#40 A Flight Of Steps In The Shape Of A Number 2, Around A Very Steep Wheelchair Ramp That Turns At A Right Angle

“Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 41 “Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 42 “Who Approved This?”: 40 Of The Most Dangerous Stairs People Have Come Across - 43

Saumya Ratan

Saumya is an explorer of all things beautiful, quirky, and heartwarming. With her knack for art, design, photography, fun trivia, and internet humor, she takes you on a journey through the lighter side of pop culture.