Decatur Terrace, commonly known as the Spanish Steps, is a

terrace Terrace may refer to: Landforms and construction * Fluvial terrace, a natural, flat surface that borders and lies above the floodplain of a stream or river * Terrace, a street suffix * Terrace, the portion of a lot between the public sidewalk a ...

in the Kalorama neighborhood of

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, located on 22nd Street NW, connecting Decatur Place NW and S Street NW. Formally named Decatur Terrace Steps and Fountain, the nickname is a reference to the

Spanish Steps The Spanish Steps () in Rome, Italy, climb a steep slope between Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church, at the top. The monumental stairway of 135 steps is linked with the Trinit� ...

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. Washington's Spanish Steps are listed in the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as a contributing feature in the

Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District The Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District is a neighborhood and historic district located in the Northwest (Washington, D.C.), northwest Quadrants of Washington, D.C., quadrant of Washington, D.C. The boundaries of the historic district include Rock ...

, designated in 1989.

History

Bids for construction of Decatur Terrace opened in June 1905. Decatur Terrace was built in 1911. The Washington DC Municipal Office of Public Works and Grounds determined that the steep

escarpment An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations. Due to the similarity, the term '' scarp'' may mistakenly be incorrectly used inte ...

made construction of a street impractical, as it would require destroying adjacent building sites. A ramp would have been difficult for carriages and automobiles and uncomfortable for pedestrians. In 1905, District Commissioners decided to inaugurate a "park improvement idea" in lieu of a driveway.Steps and Flowers Instead of Steep Drive
" ''The Washington Times'', June 11, 1905. p. 9. Property along the right-of-way was deeded to the city for the construction of steps and an adjacent park. Decatur Terrace is Washington's only example of a staircase constructed on land dedicated to a street. The steps and fountain were designed by local architect Robert E. Cook for the Municipal Office of Public Works. The stone steps were designed following Beaux-Arts precepts, reflecting the aesthetic preferences made popular in Washington, D.C., by the

City Beautiful movement The City Beautiful movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. It was a part of th ...

. The broad staircase has four levels. It is widest at its low, southern terminus near Decatur Place, transitioning upwards towards a shallow brick terrace and a second tier of stairs bordered by planting beds. Twin

balustrade A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...

-lined steps curve around an oval-shaped basin before connecting to a broad terrace on S Street. A granite lion-head fountain is located in the basin at the top of the steps. The area is lined with a mix of magnolias, eastern red cedars, oaks, and other flowering trees. To the east of the Spanish Steps, a brick and stone retaining wall with balustrade creates and defines a formal side garden for the Codman-Davis House. The Codman-Davis House was built as a home for wealthy widows of the

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

military.Richardson, Suzanne (April 19, 2002)
Walking Points
. ''The Washington Post''. p. WW33. Due to severe erosion and a car collision that destroyed the original stone

and fountain, the steps and landscape were restored in 1999. File:Spanish Steps (Washington, D.C.).JPG , Lion-head fountain

References

External links

* Buildings and structures in Washington, D.C. Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District Transportation in Washington, D.C. Stairways in the United States Stairways on the National Register of Historic Places Transportation buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. 1906 establishments in Washington, D.C. {{WashingtonDC-struct-stub