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Baldwin Street: world’s steepest residential street in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Photo by Tristan Schmurr. .

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Baldwin Street Houses

Baldwin Street, in Dunedin, New Zealand is located in the residential suburb of North East Valley, 3.5 kilometers (2.2 mi) northeast of Dunedin’s central business district.  According to Guinness World Records, this 350-meter-long street is officially the world’s steepest residential road and the slope has an incline of 35%.  The street was surveyed in the 1850s.

The pictures of the street are quite baffling especially those of houses built against the hills. It is an uphill task to decipher the architecture style of the houses built along the street. The panoramic view of the street is simply jaw breaking. Big ups to the architects who did the amazing job with the houses. The houses are simply a wonder to behold. 

About a fifth of a mile long, Baldwin Street ascends Signal Hill at such a dizzying gradient that road signs strongly advise tourists not to try it by car. Individual 10-acre sections were not wide enough to allow a zig zag in the road, so it had to be built straight. Here are the top 10 Fascinating Facts about Baldwin Street Houses.

1. The street’s steepness was unintentional

Baldwin Street, Dunedin, New Zealand. Coordinates approximate. Photo by Mark Oliver Dittrich. .

The streets in Dunedin and the New Zealand were planned by planners from London. The streets were laid out in a grid pattern with no consideration of the grid pattern. Baldwin Street layout was surveyed by Charles Kettle in the mid-19th century.

Charles Kettle had no information about the topography of the area and were only drawing the plan of the street on a map. This why the street ended up being as steep as it currently is. Baldwin Street looks much more sensible on paper than it does in person.

2. The street is named after William Baldwin

The street is named after William Baldwin, an Otago Provincial Councilor and newspaper founder, who subdivided the area.

Apart from being a member of the Otago Provincial Council , William Baldwin was also the  founder of the Otago Guardian newspaper in 1873.

3. Houses around the area are built to defy architectural principles

Because of the topography, the residents of the Dunedin have had to adapt to the situation. As steep as it is, houses have been built in the area. They have unusual shapes that defy many architectural principles.

These houses attract many photographers who take pictures of the houses which have an illusion of sinking into the ground.  They have various shapes to cope with the steep gradient of the land in the area. 

4. Concrete was used instead of asphalt to lay the street

House at Baldwin Street, Dunedin, NZ. Photo by Andy King50. .

The high slope of the street was a construction challenge, and contractors used concrete to lay the street instead of on asphalt. Baldwin Street was so steep that asphalt would literally flow down the hill on a hot day.

5. Many events have been organized on the street

host to several annual events which attract thousands of participants from all over the world. The most famous are the Baldwin Street Cadbury Jaffa Race which is an annual charitable event where thousands of round candies known as 鈥淛affas鈥� are dropped down the steep slope.

Another notable event is the annual Baldwin Street Gutbuster, a race where participants run up and down the street and try to break the 1:56-record which has been in place since 1994.

6. People have lost their lives on the street trying out tricks and performances

Some  individuals visit the street to try tricks which often have tragic results. In 2001, two young university students tried to run down the street inside a bin which ran into a trailer. One  of them died with the other received severe head injuries.

Another incident happened in November 2009, when three men took turns riding in a bin towed in a car and were later arrested and charged with dangerous driving.

7. There is a fountain located on top of the slope

Car parked at the steepest section of the street. Baldwin Street, Dunedin, New Zealand. Photo by Oyvind1979. .

This is your cue to visit Baldwin Street and try to walk up the slope. You will have a shortness of breath, that is guaranteed. However, the good news is that there is a water fountain on top of the slope to quench your thirst and help you relax.

8. Guinness awarded Ffordd Pen Llech, in Harlech, as the world’s steepest street

Dunedin – Baldwin Street. The steepest street in the world. Photo by Rob Young from United Kingdom. .

Baldwin street previously held the record for over a decade until June 2019 when Ffordd Pen Llech was awarded the same. Ffordd Pen Llech was measured at a gradient of 37.5% to Baldwin Street鈥檚 35%.

But representatives of Baldwin Street and Dunedin appealed the Guinness World Record by surveying the three-dimensional shapes of Dunedin Street and Ffordd Pen Llech.

After a review by Guinness World Records and consultation with industry specialists, the record was given back to Baldwin Street. The new results from Guinness World Records put Baldwin Street at a gradient of 34.8% and Ffordd Pen Llech at a gradient of 28.6%.

9. Dave Kernahan from Dunedin neighborhood is a major tourist attraction

Dave Kernahan, a grandfather, runs up and down the hill no less than thirty times a day. He鈥檚 kept up this borderline-suicidal fitness program ever since he was laid off from his job in 1997. The climb is so hard on his running shoes that he sometimes goes through a pair in less than a month.

10. For every 2.8 meters the elevation on the street changed by 1 meter

Baldwin Street uni challenge. Photo by Samuel Mann from Dunedin, New Zealand.

The steepest part of the street has a slope of 19掳 or 35% which means that for every 2.89 meters or 9.4 feet, the elevation changes by 1 meter or 3.3 feet. The street is a dead-end street for cars, but there is a footpath at the top.