Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
6 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
7 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
8 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All France Paris Medici Column

Medici Column

The spiral staircase hidden inside this giant Parisian column was likely built for Catherine de Medici's astrologer.

Paris, France

Added By
Dylan Thuras
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Medici Column   Mbzt
Medici Column   Mbzt
Medici Column   Mbzt
Medici Column   Wikipedia
Medici Column   Wikipedia
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Standing tall and supporting nothing, the giant Medici Column in front of Paris' commodities exchange building hides a secret spiral staircase that was originally built for use by Catherine de Medici's personal astrologer.

Built in 1575, the Medici Column was the first free-standing column in Paris. It was built at the request of Catherine de Medici as part of a royal palace that once stood behind it. While the decorative value of the 92-foot column is clear, Catherine's true purpose behind building it has never been concretely established. While it is a lovely bit of stonework from the outside, the inside of the column is actually hollow, containing a spiral staircase that once connected Catherine's personal apartment to a observatory/workshop at the top of the column. 

This workspace is thought to have been built for Catherine's personal astrologer (some say sorcerer), Cosimo Ruggieri. The astrologer had been friends with the queen since childhood, and it is said that she consulted with him prior to making any big decisions. The space at the top of the column was there for him to consult the stars to make his predictions. 

While the palace the column was built for is no longer there, the column still stands, hiding its spiral staircase. The door to the interior is now closed, but visitors can still look up at the cage at the top of the column and wonder what astrological shenanigans went on up there.

Related Tags

Columns Hidden Stairs

Community Contributors

Added By

Dylan

Edited By

EricGrundhauser

  • EricGrundhauser

Published

March 14, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medici_column
  • http://parisisinvisible.blogspot.com/2009/11/la-colonne-medicis-mystery-for.html
  • https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonne_M%C3%A9dicis
Medici Column
2 Rue de Viarmes
Paris, 75001
France
48.862813, 2.342788
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Au Pied de Cochon

Paris, France

miles away

E. Dehillerin

Paris, France

miles away

Fontaine de la Croix-du-Trahoir

Paris, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Paris

Paris

France

Places 204
Stories 41

Nearby Places

Au Pied de Cochon

Paris, France

miles away

E. Dehillerin

Paris, France

miles away

Fontaine de la Croix-du-Trahoir

Paris, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Paris

Paris

France

Places 204
Stories 41

Related Places

  • Jacob’s Ladder.

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    Jacob's Ladder

    This obscure walkway links Edinburgh’s Old Town with one of the city's prime vantage points.

  • The monument.

    Houghton le Spring, England

    Penshaw Monument

    The nearly 200-year-old folly has a secret spiral staircase hidden in one of its pillars.

  • Astoria Column

    Astoria, Oregon

    The Astoria Column

    A Roman-style column in Oregon hides a spiral staircase inside.

  • Courtyard temple only entrance via cave

    Ipoh, Malaysia

    Tasik Cermin (Mirror Lake) Geopark

    Home to secret lakes and hidden temples.

  • Touch nothing at this fragile archeological site.

    Hayfield, California

    Carey's Castle

    Hidden deep in the Joshua Tree Wilderness, this 1940s miner's cabin built into a gap between two mega-sized boulders.

  • Turkey

    Ancient City of Magnesia

    These ancient ruins include a stadium dating back to 400 BC.

  • London, England

    Grand Staircase at St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel

    As seen in the Spice Girls ‘Wannabe’ music video.

  • Planet Plus One is an indie cinema in Osaka.

    Osaka, Japan

    Planet Plus One

    Visit a speakeasy-like indie cinema specializing in 16mm and 35mm films.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.