Baldwin Street

Officially the world's steepest residential street, a Dunedin curiosity

Baldwin Street in the North East Valley suburb is the steepest residential street in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, and has become one of Dunedin's most visited oddities. The street rises at a gradient that makes walking to the top a genuine effort and forces the houses along its sides to be built at various tilted angles to cope with the slope.

It takes about 15 minutes to walk up, and the views from the top over the valley and city are decent. The street itself has become somewhat of a pilgrimage for determined visitors, and a few local businesses near the bottom have capitalised on the fame. It is a short taxi or bus ride from the city centre. Not essential, but if you are staying for more than a day, worth the mild effort.

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A story
Baldwin Street holds the Guinness World Record for steepest residential street, with a gradient of 1 in 2.86 — meaning it rises 35 centimetres for every metre of horizontal distance. It was laid out in the 1860s by London engineers who designed it on paper without consulting the actual terrain of the hill. Every year the Cadbury Chocolate Carnival rolls thousands of chocolate balls down the street, a race that proves easier than the reverse.