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Double-helix staircases are rare enough. But one such structure, in Sante Fe, New Mexico, has no visible means of support and no known builder.
The staircase stands in The Loretto Chapel, a former church that has been converted into a private museum and wedding venue. The legend started in 1873, when the Sisters of Loretto were visited by a humble carpenter carrying only a hammer and a carpenter’s square. After building the staircase, he disappeared without a trace.
Somehow, the structure stands without a center pole for support. Even the material used to build it still remains a mystery.