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Georgetown Traditions: The Exorcist Stairs

A traditional test of physical fitness for any Hoya is to run "the Exorcist stairs". Made famous in the 1973 horror classic written by Georgetown alumnus William Peter Blatty (C'49), the dark, narrow stairs are a part of the climactic scene in the movie, where a priest rids himself of the devil by hurling himself out the window of a house and down the steeply sloped stairs to his death.

In real life, the stairs connect Prospect Street with M Street below, and no one (that we know of) has been hurled down the stairs by a demonic possession. The 75 stairs and its three landings are the equivalent of a five story building, and while it's easy to make the journey down, going up takes a little bit of work. No wonder then, that "running the stairs" ten or more times gives Georgetown athletes an extra workout at the end of the day.

For a view of what the stairs look like, click on the link.