The Celestial Staircase in Morocco – desert land art monuments

Last Updated on April 16, 2025

Have you heard of Celestial Staircase in Morocco? Tucked away in the silent vastness, between Goulmima and Erfoud, close to Sahara desert, lies one of Morocco’s most surreal and lesser-known treasures — three large land art sculptures that merge architecture with a vision of the stars. Known collectively as the Celestial Staircase, the Golden Spiral, and the City of Orien, these masterpieces are the work of German artist Hansjörg Voth.

Over the span of more than two decades, from 1980 to 2003, Hansjörg Voth turned a remote patch of desert into a mystical universe of stone, sand, and sky—a place where geometry meets spirituality and art reaches for the stars. Collaborating closely with local artisans, he created works not only inspired by the celestial realm but also rooted in the wisdom and traditions of the Moroccan people. You can read more about the artist and his Celestial Staircase Morocco project in his webpage.

These art and land monuments are located 30 minutes’ drive from Erfoud and 1 hour away from Merzouga village – the most popular destination to visit the Sahara desert (read more about what to do in Merzouga village in my article Merzouga villa: what to do beyond the Sahara desert). So it can be a nice stop on the way to the desert; however, it is only accessible if you have a 4×4 vehicle. Add “Jorf Khettaras, R702, Morocco” to your GPS, where you can also tour the ancient Moroccan irrigation system. There, you will turn to the off-road, and first will drive towards the Celestial staircase. If you don’t have 4×4, but still want to visit, contact local travel agencies in Erfoud, to organise a tour with a jeep.

These 3 monuments are now protected and can only be viewed by paying a fee of 150 DH (this includes all three monuments). A guardian will always see you from afar and lead you to the place if you get lost. The guardian will also provide you with a brochure with information. After viewing the stairs, you will drive to the nearby City of Orien, and the last will be the Golden Spiral.

Celestial Staircase in Morocco

The Celestial Staircase in Morocco(or also called L´Escalier Céleste) was constructed between 1980 and 1987. Towering at 16 meters, this triangular staircase seems to rise straight into the heavens. Its 56 steps are flanked by walls that taper inward, culminating in a vertical slit that opens to the sky — evoking the feeling of an ancient observatory, a bridge between earth and cosmos.

The Golden Spiral

In 1992, Voth expanded his vision with the Golden Spiral, a 260-meter stone ramp designed using the Golden Ratio, Phi. It slowly ascends to a height of 6 meters, where a spiral staircase of 100 steps plunges downward into a well at the heart of the structure. From above, the spiral mirrors the form of a nautilus shell — a symbol of natural harmony and mathematical perfection.

The City of Orien

Then came the most ambitious of all: the City of Orien, built between 1998 and 2003. This extraordinary creation is a star map brought to life. Composed of rectangular adobe towers, each one aligns with a star from the Orion constellation — accurately mirroring their size, brightness, and spatial orientation. This “city” functions as a giant celestial compass, allowing viewers to observe and track the stars, while one of its tallest towers contains a staircase that leads deep into the desert earth.