The Marble Staircase

The sweeping marble staircase provides access between the Mansion and the lower terraces. Marian Coffin used the staircase to solve the challenge of the property’s steep incline, drawing inspiration from Italian architecture to create a dramatic transition between levels. With both the marble and iron railing original to the 1916 design, the staircase was an extremely expensive structural element that unified the garden rooms and created a dramatic experience.

All parts of the staircase are original. Flecks of mica in the marble catch the light and sparkle in the sunlight. The iron railing was likely made by renowned metal artist Samuel Yellin, who corresponded frequently with Hugh Rodney Sharp. Yellin’s work can also be found at the Washington National Cathedral, Winterthur, and The Met Cloisters in New York City.

During the gardens’ years of decline, the Marble Staircase became buried beneath vines, weeds, fallen branches, and layers of debris. Decades of accumulated soil and grime had blackened the marble, concealing its remarkable beauty.

In 2023, crews from Eastern Horticultural Services cleared the overgrowth and power-washed the staircase, revealing something extraordinary beneath the dirt: a sparkling marble staircase that looked fit for royalty!

In this photograph, taken from the Mansion Terrace looking toward the top of the staircase, notice the railing barely visible among the vegetation on the left. It offers a glimpse of just how overgrown and neglected this once-grand landscape had become.

With decades of overgrowth and grime removed, the Marble Staircase once again revealed its remarkable beauty. The cleaning exposed the brilliant marble, which sparkles in the sunlight thanks to tiny flecks of mica embedded in the stone.

The transformation was dramatic. What had been nearly hidden beneath vegetation and debris was once again one of Gibraltar's most striking architectural features. The graceful curves of the staircase, its intricate iron railings, and its elegant stonework could finally be appreciated as Marian Coffin intended more than a century ago.

Today, the staircase is once again a highlight of the gardens, connecting the Mansion Terrace to the landscape below. Its elegant design and picturesque setting have also made it a favorite backdrop for photography, especially quinceañeras, proms, weddings, engagement portraits, and other special occasions.

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