Baldwin Street is the second largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, Dunedin.
It originates from North Road (North Rd) and ends at the intersection of Buchanan Street (Buchanan St). The length of the street 359 meters.
Baldwin Street is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the steepest residential street in the world to its length, it rises to a height of almost 80 meters.
The steepest section is 161.2 meters, and the level of lift on it 47.22 meters, which corresponds to the slope of 38 degrees.
City of Dunedin was founded in 1848. When building the city and there was the steepest street in the world. The steepness of the streets was unintentional.
As was the case in many other parts of the city, and throughout New Zealand as a whole, the streets were planned in London, with absolutely no regard for the terrain.Baldwin Street project, as well as all Dunedin, was designed by Charles Kettle, completely unsuspecting that the north-eastern part of the Dunedin area is not very suitable for paving roads. And just arrived implement the project workers found that they are waiting for a small trouble. As a result, the upper part of the street, a steep, we had to cover the concrete, or in hot weather of the asphalt, which is located on top, just a drip down.The street is named after the provincial councilor and founder of the Otago region, a local newspaper «Otago Guardian» William Baldwin.Baldwin Street is the venue for the annual event under the name «Baldwin Street Gutbuster».
It is a race, in which the competing need as quickly as possible, first run down the street from the bottom up and then down. The competition is held every summer, usually in February, since 1988.In the race are usually attended by hundreds of athletes, test conducted among children and adults separately.
A record-breaking achievement was established in 1998 - the winner of the distance needed for the passage of 1 minute and 56 seconds.Also at Baldwin Street from 2002 event is held annually under the title «Cadbury Jaffa Race», which is part of the festival «Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival». The essence of «Cadbury Jaffa Race» in the following. About 30,000 small, round chocolate candies «Jaffas» roll on Baldwin Street from the top down.Before starting each candy gets its own number that is printed on adhesive paper and pasted on a chocolate ball, so they can be distinguished from each other, and each candy has a sponsor. Then the launch of «Jaffas».On the descent from candy usually takes 15 to 25 seconds. Shortly before the finish candies come in a special funnel, and the first five balls passed through the funnel, is the winner. All proceeds go to charity
