VATICAN CORNER
Staircases bind spaces together. They come in many forms: single run, switchback, L-shaped, curved, triangular, spiral and double spiral. The double spiral or double-helix consisting of two intertwined spirals is one of the most remarkable types, and the most famous example is at the Vatican. The Museums at the Vatican were founded by Pope Julius in the 16th century to hold the vast collection of art acquired by the Church over the centuries. The Vatican does not build structures without a purpose, and what they build is usually the newest, latest thing for its day. In 1932 Giuseppe Momo was commissioned by Pope Pius XI to create a central staircase to connect the street level to all of the galleries above. Momo (1875-1940) was a famous Italian architect and engineer who built many important religious buildings all over Italy. For the task Momo designed and built two spiral staircases that twist together but are separate, with one for traveling up and the other for coming back down. This solved the problem of ushering in and out thousands of tourists daily. He used broad steps making it ramp like. The staircase has become one of the most photographed in the world, and one of the most beautiful. With 4 million people flocking to the Vatican Museums every year, it has also become one of the most visited spiral staircases in the world. It is the same type of spiral that nature prefers, as seen in the chambered nautilus, the horns of a ram, the winds in a hurricane, the water in a whirlpool, the stars in a spiral galaxy and in a strand of DNA. Spiral stairs may seem as if they were created for the sole sake of drama and style, but the curious structure that winds from one floor to another was initially introduced with a distinct purpose. In the medieval times, the winding staircase was actually designed to give an advantage during a sword fight. The traditionally clockwise spiral gave the advantage to whoever is descending the staircase (presumably the owner of a home). Given that most people are right-handed, anyone trying to make their way up the stairs while wielding a sword on the right would have their movement impeded. The spiral design was also favored because it took up a lot less space than a regular flight of stairs and one with open steps and open railing could also allow a lot more light. Today traveling up the stair case is no longer allowed in the Vatican and both paths are used for downward movement.
Jesus is not the man at the top of the stairs; He is the man at the bottom, the friend of sinners, the savior of those in need of one. Which is all of us, all of the time. Tullian Tchividjian
Sources: Atlasobscura.com, salterspiralstair.com, CNN.com, trekearth.com, ews.harvard.edu, officialcatholicdirectory.com