Queen's Staircase, Nassau (must see)

Queen’s Staircase, often referred to as the 66 Steps, was hand-carved out of solid limestone in the late 18th century, most likely between 1793 and 1794, and provides a direct pedestrian route up Bennet’s Hill to Fort Fincastle. Although only 65 steps are visible today, the missing 66th step was buried during later paving works at the base of the staircase.

The staircase was created during a period when the British colony was strengthening its defenses against potential foreign threats in the Caribbean. Rather than responding specifically to pirate attacks, it formed part of a broader defensive network that included Fort Fincastle, Fort Montagu, and Fort Charlotte. Fort Fincastle stands at the highest elevation of the three, and the staircase functioned as a practical shortcut between the town below and the hilltop fortification.

The carving was carried out by enslaved Africans, using only hand tools to cut directly through the limestone cliff. One lesser-noted detail is that the chisel marks left by this work are still visible along the walls, offering a rare, tactile reminder of the labor involved. In the mid-19th century, the staircase was renamed in honor of Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, reflecting the colony’s continued ties to the British Crown.

The water feature that runs alongside the staircase and the surrounding garden setting are later additions. Today, high stone walls, shade, and flowing water give the staircase a cool, grotto-like atmosphere. Although it still leads to Fort Fincastle, Queen’s Staircase is now appreciated less as a military route and more as one of Nassau’s atmospheric historic passages.