Baldwin Street
Recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's steepest residential street, with its steepest section at a gradient of about 35%
Baldwin Street is in North East Valley, about 3.5 km northeast of the city centre. It is an ordinary residential street about 350 metres long, but it is famous for its extreme gradient. Its steepest section has a gradient of about 1 in 2.86 (about 35%). In 2019 a street in Harlech, Wales, briefly took the title of world's steepest street, but after remeasurement in 2020 Guinness returned the record to Baldwin Street. The upper section is paved with concrete so that asphalt does not soften and run in hot weather. The houses on either side seem to hang off the slope, which makes this a popular spot for photos that play with perspective. The climb to the top takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Once you catch your breath, you can rest on the bench at the top and look out over the street. There is a souvenir shop at the bottom where you can buy a 'summit certificate'. Entry is free. This is a residential area, so please do not block the driveways or make loud noise. Drivers should not try to drive up the slope, and walkers should take care in wet weather.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Dunedin Botanic Garden
- Signal Hill Lookout
- University of Otago Clocktower
- Tūhura Otago Museum
- Olveston Historic Home
- Dunedin Railway Station
- The Octagon & St Paul's Cathedral
- First Church of Otago