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Two ways to see it

Schröder stairs

A staircase you can see going up from the floor or hanging upside down from the ceiling.

By Illusions Blog · Updated · How we make them

TypeTwo ways to see it
InteractiveYes: sliders and a check
First described1858

Look a while: the stairs flip between a normal staircase and one seen from underneath.

Try this

  • Tick Turn it upside down to see the other version first.
  • Focus on the top-left or bottom-right corner to steer the flip.

Why it happens

Like the Necker cube, the drawing has no shading or perspective to tell the brain which way it faces, so it switches between two readings. Heinrich Schröder described it in 1858.

Did you know?

Escher-style "impossible" staircases are different: they cannot exist. Schröder stairs are possible; they are just ambiguous.

References

The illusion on this page is drawn by code written for this site. Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which way are the Schröder stairs facing?

Either: the drawing fits both, so your view flips.

Try these next

Necker cube website preview Two ways to see itNecker cube A simple line drawing of a cube flips between two different 3D shapes. Rubin vase website preview Two ways to see itRubin vase A vase, or two faces looking at each other? You cannot see both at once.