Escadaria Selarón Building

Address: Selarón Steps (Escadaria Selarón), between Lapa and Santa Teresa neighborhoods, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Admission: Free

The Escadaria Selarón is a decorated outdoor stairway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, created by Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón beginning in 1990. It is an iconic, colourful mosaic landmark that links the Lapa and Santa Teresa neighbourhoods.

The stairway comprises a long run of tiled steps covered with thousands of ceramic tiles in bright red, yellow and blue patterns, with sections incorporating tiles from dozens of countries. The installation extends across the stair run and adjoining walls and landings, creating an easily walkable sequence of mosaicked risers and small murals.

Jorge Selarón began renovating the neglected steps in 1990 as a personal art project and continued to add tiles and mosaics over decades, turning the staircase into a recognised urban artwork. The site became internationally known during the late 1990s and 2000s and has been maintained as a public artwork since Selarón’s death in 2013.

The stairway sits on a steep street slope between the neighbourhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa in central Rio de Janeiro, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

• Best time: Best visited early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds and for softer light on the tiles.
• Access: The steps run between the Lapa and Santa Teresa neighbourhoods and are a public urban artwork free to access.

The staircase links the neighbourhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa. From downtown Rio, take a taxi or the VLT tram to Lapa and walk up Rua Joaquim Silva or access from the Santa Teresa side by hill tram or walking routes.

• Ascend the steps from Lapa for the best dramatic reveal of Rio below; take the quieter Rua Joaquim Silva route to avoid street vendors.
• Look for small plaques and tiles residents have added - the staircase is still evolving as visitors and locals repair and add tiles.
• Go late at night if the goal is a solitary photo; the steps can be crowded in daytime but have a different energy after midnight.