Grand Staircase of the Titanic

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The Grand Staircase of the Titanic was the first class entrance to the Olympic Class passenger liner, RMS Titanic. Considered to be one of the most luxurious appointments onboard the ship, the Grand Staircase descended five levels down to the E Deck. First class passengers walked through the first class entrance and were greeted by a room lit naturally, as well as with crystal light fittings. The room was paneled entirely of oak, and had gilded, wrought-iron balustrades. A panel on the uppermost landing of the staircase was carved with two allegorical figures which were representative of Honour and Glory crowning time. The same panel on the other landings each had paintings more often than not depicting paradise-like lands. The middle banister of each of the landings was supported by a bronze cherub lamp support - one of which has since been recovered from the wreckage, although from the aft Grand Staircase - except for the D Deck landing which was flanked by a twenty-one branched bronze candelabra.

However, when tragedy struck on the night of Sunday April 14, 1912, the uppermost level of the Grand Staircase was one of the final parts of the bow to sink. The lower parts of the Grand Staircase, such as the D-Deck landing, succumbed quickly to the Atlantic water. At around 2.10 am the water had reached past the promenade and into the first class entrance, and thus into the uppermost floor of the staircase. At around 2:15 am, the glass dome buckled, bringing with it a tumultuous, unrelenting wave of water so powerful, it was thought to have actually torn the grand staircase from its fastenings. Many people were gathered in the grand staircase at the time of these events, possibly a hundred or more, with scores of people trapped on the lower levels which had already succumbed to the freezing water.

Today, the Grand Staircase stands on the wreck of the Titanic as a vast empty hole, within which submersibles and cameras can gain easy access to the ship's interiors. Surprisingly, some of the detail on the balustrades of the staircase can still be made out; and, perhaps even more surprisingly, some of the light fittings are still exactly as they were in 1912.

[edit] Style and architecture

The decoration of the staircase was a curious combination of styles. The paneling and woodwork were made by master craftsmen in the English William and Mary style. To this was added iron banister grillwork and ormolu garlands inspired by the French court of Louis XIV.

Typical of the times, a bronze cherub held aloft a lamp to light the landings of the staircase. Many years earlier, lamp stands had been placed at the foot of staircases for safety, but with dozens of gilded crystal chandeliers lighting Titanic's entrance halls and staircases, the cherubs on Titanic were largely ornamental.

Bronze direction signs at the landings helped passengers to navigate the mammoth vessel.

[edit] Use of the Grand Staircase in James Cameron's film

The grand Staircase's luxury has been immortalised in James Cameron's epic blockbuster film, Titanic. The staircase in the film was used to great effect by Cameron and his crew. It is the setting for many of the key events which happen in the film. It is used particularly well to highlight the difference between the steerage and the first-class passengers, with the first-class passengers enjoying the very finest fittings of the time, where as the steerage passengers had to make do with only the most basic things; the staircase provides a unique example of just how far apart the two worlds are, despite being on the same ship.

The Staircase played a major part in the sinking to show how destructive the sinking was.

The Staircase also played such a big role in the film that Cameron decided to make it, among other things, larger than the actual one for added effect.

[edit] Trivia

• There has been a wealth of speculation over the years as to whether the staircase's steps were carpeted.
• There is also an enigma surrounding what happened to the staircase on the night of the sinking. The most widely accepted belief is that the staircase was torn from its fastenings by the ferocity of the water when the glass dome shattered. Some believe the staircase was already well submerged when the glass dome broke, leaving one to conclude that the water eroded at the oak over time. It was once thought that deepsea animal life ate all the wood, but recent discoveries of wood seemingly untouched by woodborers on Titanic have cast this theory into doubt.
• The staircase traveled from the Boat deck down to E-Deck.
• The D-Deck landing was the entrance to the Reception Room and Dining Saloon.
• It is believed that many third class used the staircase to escape the flooding corridors of third class.
• On the night of the sinking, many first, second, and third class passengers situated themselves on the A-deck and Boat deck landings of the staircase.
• There were elevators that traveled between A-Deck and E-Deck in front of the staircase.
• Many passengers were sucked through the flooding windows on the A-Deck and Boat deck landings.
• There is no remaining part of the famous clock.
• Some light fixtures still hang underwater as they did in 1912.
• Farther back in the ship there was an aft grand staircase. This staircase featured a smaller dome and traveled from A-Deck to C-deck. The staircase had entrances to the Cafe Parisian, A-deck promenade, and Smoking Lounge.
• On the night of the sinking, when water crashed through the boat deck windows it is possible that passengers in the water were sucked into the flooded room.
• The staircase is believed to have been the crowning achievement of the ship.
• According to Don Lynch, historian to Jim Cameron's Titanic, no pictures of the Titanic's Grand Staircase exist. The famous pictures and details of the one used in the movie were done from photographs and blueprints of the Olympic's Grand Staircase.