Stairs on the vaults

I really like rounded lines in architecture. I like all forms that use arcs. Most of all I like those arcs that are added without practical need. The redundancy gives the impression of luxury, flight, freedom.

This inner staircase is located in the courtyard outbuilding of the tenement house. It is important to clarify that this outbuilding is in the yard. Those buildings of tenement houses, which stood on the red line of the streets were expensive, apartments in them were in demand among wealthy tenants. The quality of life in the courtyard outbuildings was significantly lower. It was necessary to go to the front door through a labyrinth of wood sheds and stables, the yards were not particularly clean. The stairs in these houses were tight and narrow. But the arched vaults made them beautiful and romantic.

Pictures of two stairs used in this post. I took these pictures at 50 Pryazhka River Embankment house. The first staircase, with an arched vault, iis located at the very end of the yard. It was built in the middle of the 19th century, presumably in 1837. The second staircase, spiral staircase, is in the left wing, it is narrow and rather dark, but the entrance to it is located near the exit to the embankment of the Pryazhka River.

The lower spans of this staircase are made of granite, which allows it to be dated to the beginning of the XIX century. The famous stonecutter Samson Sukhanov was the owner of this house in 1807-1827. Samson Sukhanov worked a lot with granite, was engaged in lining of palaces and cathedrals, he could use granite for such works. For ordinary builders this solution would be too difficult and expensive, they would make steps from limestone.