Christmas Steps, Bristol

Christmas Steps in Bristol is less a street and more a vertical time capsule, climbing uphill on cobbles that have been here since the 17th century. Back then it was Queene Street, regarding Elizabeth I鈥檚 visit in 1574, before the name took a festive turn in the 1800s鈥攅ither for nearby Christmas Street or, according to a more whimsical theory, for a nativity scene in the stained glass of the Chapel of the Three Kings of Cologne. The steps themselves arrived in 1669, courtesy of wine merchant Jonathan Blackwell, whose charitable project made scaling the hill a little less treacherous. Briefly after the Civil War (it took place between 1642 and 1651), they even bore the name Lunsford鈥檚 Stairs, in honour of a Royalist officer who met his end here during the first siege of Bristol in 1643.

These days, the narrow gradient and snug historic buildings feel like a set piece from another century. The Grade II listed fa莽ades have swapped their original trades for a line-up of independent shops, art galleries, and specialist boutiques鈥攕elling everything from ceramics and vintage instruments to chocolate and fine dining.

The steps are also part of the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, where creativity spills into neighbouring lanes like Colston Street and Perry Road. After dark, the lamps glow against the stone, and the whole place hums with an atmosphere that鈥檚 more intimate than Bristol鈥檚 bigger shopping areas. The mood has proved irresistible to artists, too鈥攑ost-rock band Mogwai even lifted the street鈥檚 name for one of their songs.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Christmas Steps
Sight Location: Bristol, England (See walking tours in Bristol)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Bristol Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Bristol, England

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