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The imperial staircase at Buckingham Palace. Photographed from the half-landing where the first flight divides into two further flights

The double staircase rising to the entrance of Kedleston Hall

An Imperial staircase (sometimes known as a double staircase) is the name given to a staircase with divided flights. Usually the first flight rises to a half-landing and then divides into two symmetrical flights both rising with an equal number of steps and turns to the next floor. The feature is reputed to have first been used at El Escorial. ^[1] Internally notable examples can be found in the Winter Palace, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Palazzo Reale di Caserta and Mentmore Towers.

Externally, often referred to as a double staircase, the feature is a common motif seen rising to the entrances of many houses in the Palladian style. Double staircases as opposed to imperial staircases are more often of just two flights (hence the name) leaving the ground symmetrically to join one common destination (see illustration left), occasionally, especially in the architecture of the Sicilian Baroque they will leave the ground as one flight and then divide but this is less common. On occasions one sees an Imperial staircase in the form of two flights rising to join and then continue as one flight but this is rare.

The advantages of an imperial staircase became apparent during the 18th century, when Matthew Brettingham revolutionised the design of the piano nobile of the London town house. Guests would proceed through a series of reception room arranged as a circuit. ^[2] At large gatherings the two branches could ease the flow of guests arriving and departing, or moving between a ballroom and a supper room on the floor below. An imperial staircase is often used today for similar reasons where two streams of people are moving in opposite directions in buildings as diverse as an opera house to a railway station. This use explains why the first single flight is often wider than the following two divided flights, although narrowing flights are also an architectural trick to lengthen perspective in order to increase the impression of size.

Confusingly while an "imperial staircase" can be called a double staircase, a "double staircase" cannot be called an imperial staircase.

• [1] Photograph of the imperial staircase at the Palazzo Reale di Caserta retrieved 18 November 2006
• [2] Photograph of the imperial staircase at the Russian Museum retrieved 18 November 2006
• [3] Photograph of the imperial staircase at the Winter Palace retrieved 18 November 2006
• [4] Photograph of the imperial staircase at the Wurzburg Residenz retrieved 18 November 2006
• [5] Photograph of a double staircase retrieved 18 November 2006

1. ^ Wilkinson, Catherine. The Escorial and the Invention of the Imperial Staircase. The Art Bulletin, Vol. 57, No. 1 (March, 1975), pp. 65-90.
2. ^ Girouard, Mark (1978). Life in the English Country House. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-02273-5. P. 197

• English Heritage