They are a place to rest, to wait for someone you're meeting, to relax and watch the world go by. On a thriving city street, large public stairs are naturally filled with sitting people.
Steps at the New York Public Library https://maps.app.goo.gl/2mDZYiMqBh4AhmRH9 |
Steps at the Metropolitan Museum of Art https://maps.app.goo.gl/AUwfbgf6ENYpHErr5 |
So when I see an image of a large staircase on a busy street with nobody sitting on it, something is wrong with the picture: