Chkalov Stairs

This monumental flight of steps in Nizhny Novgorod descends in a great figure-eight pattern from the Kremlin heights to the bank of the Volga River, one of the longest and most dramatic staircases in Russia. Built in the 1940s and named after the aviator Valery Chkalov, whose monument stands at the top, it comprises hundreds of steps in sweeping curved terraces. From the summit, walkers survey the confluence of the Volga and Oka far below. Illuminated at night, it is a favourite promenade in summer.