Stairway to Heaven

We invite you to another abandoned and forbidden place. This is a staircase, which is so high and beautiful that the locals call it the "Stairway to Heaven." It leads to the very top of Pu'ukeahiakahoe Mountain in Hawaii's Haiku Valley and offers breathtaking views. See for yourself.

17 PHOTOS

1. If you stand at the foot of the mountain and look up, you can see a narrow path disappearing into the clouds. It's hard to think of a better name for such a place than Stairway to Heaven. (Photo: Michael Keany / flickr.com).

2. Despite the fact that this is such a picturesque place, from where breathtaking landscapes open up, for many years "Stairway to Heaven" has been closed to tourists. However, this does not deter the daredevils who are willing to break the rules to enjoy the beautiful views from the top of Pu'ukeahiakahoe. (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

3. And although, having climbed such a steep staircase, you will not get into the Heavenly Gate, but see the rusted remnants of American military facilities, the very view from there compensates for everything and everyone. (Photo: Michael Keany / flickr.com).

4. The official name of "Stairs to Heaven" is the Ha'iku Stairs. It is located at the top of Pu'ukeahiakahoe in the Haiku Valley in Oahu, Hawaii. From the slope of the hill, and especially at its top, a beautiful view of the capital of the archipelago, Honolulu, opens. (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

5. The Haiku Staircase was built in 1942. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, it was decided to build a military radio station at the very top of the mountain, so that signals could be picked up from a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers. This was necessary to maintain communication between American submarines plying the Pacific Ocean. (Photo: Kirinwizard).

6. For some time after the war, the radio station was used by the Coast Guard. (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

7. In the 50s, the staircase was even repaired - wooden structural elements were replaced with metal ones. Since then, the staircase has 3922 steps and can be climbed to a height of about 800 meters. (Photo: Hawai Foto, licencja C.C. 3.0).

8. However, later the radio station was closed, and everything around began to fall into desolation, including the Haiku staircase leading to the top. In 1987, the authorities finally decided to close this place to tourists, due to its poor technical condition. (Photo: Michael Keany / flickr.com).

9. Of course, no bad condition of the stairs can deter fans of extreme sports from visiting such an unusual place. Therefore, in order to avoid accidents, in 2003 it was decided to renovate the Haiku staircase. The overhaul cost a lump sum - more than 800 thousand dollars, but the authorities did not dare to officially open it to visitors. (Photo: Michael Keany / flickr.com).

10. Despite the bans, every day more and more people climbed to the top of Pu'ukeahiakahoe. The Honolulu authorities even set up a sentry post at the foot of the mountain to contain the flow of risky tourists. However, it quickly became clear that most of the time it was empty, and the tourists continued to climb the stairs to the very top as if nothing had happened. (Photo: Michael Keany / flickr.com).

11. At the very top of the mountain there is an "observation deck" for tourists. From there, amazing landscapes open up. How can you forbid people to admire such beauty? (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

12. View of Honolulu from Stairway to Heaven. (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

13. And these are the remaining parts of the once working radio station on the top. (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

14. Rusted antenna. (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

15. The very entrance of such a steep staircase, sometimes almost vertical, is already an adventure, and when you climb it, you get a reward: breathtaking landscapes. (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

16. "Stairway to Heaven". (Photo: Ken Tam / flickr.com).

17. A mysterious path leading straight to the sky. (Photo: Shawn Clover / flickr.com).