There are three in the city and, besides being points of tourist interest, they help on important climbs. They are managed by Carris. Who has Navegante pass can use these elevators at will and the same tickets are valid as for Carris (the Carris+Metro ticket, Zapping, Viva Go...). On board 2 trips cost 3,80€.
Connecting Rua de S. Paulo to Largo do Calhariz, it is one of the most picturesque elements of the city of Lisbon, crossing the popular Bairro da Bica.
It was built by Companhia dos Ascensores Mecânicos de Lisboa, under a project by Mesnier du Ponsard, and inaugurated in 1892. It is an urban transport equipment consisting of two cars, connected by an underground cable, which go up and down alternately and simultaneously along two parallel iron rail tracks.
Initially powered by water and by the tramway-cab, It went from locomotion by water counterweight to steam locomotion in 1896, and was fully electrified only in 1914. It was halted for nine years due to an accident, and restarted its up-and-down journey in 1923.
Connecting Av. da Liberdade/Restauradores and Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara, it is currently the busiest elevator in the city, carrying about three million passengers a year.
Built by Companhia dos Ascensores Mecânicos de Lisboa, according to a project by Mesnier du Ponsard, and inaugurated in 1885, it was, among Lisbon's elevators, the pioneer of electric traction, installed in 1914. Initially powered by water counterweight, it later resorted to steam, while night travel was illuminated by stearin candles.
Built by two cars, connected by an underground cable, which alternately and simultaneously go up and down along two tracks of iron rails, it was the only one that provided users with roof seats - the so-called "Imperial" - which were accessed by a spiral staircase. In 1926 it became the property of Companhia Carris de Ferro de Lisboa (better known as Carris).
Connecting Largo da Anunciada to Travessa do Forno do Torel or Rua Câmara Pestana, through Calçada do Lavra, it is the oldest elevator in Lisbon.
Built by the Lisbon Mechanical Elevator Company, it was officially inaugurated in 1884, owing its name to the Lavra Palace, with which it makes corner. It is an urban transport equipment consisting of two cars, connected by an underground cable, which go up and down alternately and simultaneously along two parallel tracks of iron rails.
Initially moved by a hydraulic system consisting of rack and water counterweight, it was later moved by steam, and finally, in 1915, it was completely electrified. In 1926 it became the property of Companhia Carris de Ferro de Lisboa (Carris).
There are two elevators in Lisbon, which allow you to easily reach two hills: the Castelo and Bairro Alto. The Carris fare applies to the Elevador de Santa Justa, and on board the ticket costs 5.30€ for 2 trips).
An important piece of Lisbon's urban furniture, integrated in the so-called 'Iron Architecture', reflecting a neo-gothic ornamental language. It is the only vertical elevator currently existing in the city, located on the Sta Staircase of Sta. Justa, connecting Rua do Ouro and Largo do Carmo.
Built by the Carmo Elevator Company, and inaugurated in 1902, it is the masterpiece of Mesnier du Ponsard. Its vertical structure, made entirely of iron, develops in 7 floors that correspond to 2 interconnected towers, 45m high, inside which 2 square cabins circulate, communicating, at the top level, with the Largo do Carmo through a viaduct type metallic walkway, supported in the middle by a reinforced concrete pillar. Initially moved by a steam engine located on the top floor of the tower, only in 1907 it began to work by electric motors.
It began to be operated by Ponsard, and definitively became the property of Carris in 1939.
It is called Elevador do Castelo, but is divided into two public elevators for free access. Inaugurated in 2013, it consists of an elevator that connects Rua dos Fanqueiros and Rua da Madalena, and another that connects the Chão do Loureiro Market, just next door, to the Castle Coast.
The Elevador do Castelo thus connects downtown Lisbon to the Castelo hill, namely to the Castelo de São Jorge. Unlike the Elevador de Santa Justa, which connects downtown Lisbon to the opposite hill of Bairro Alto and dates from the late nineteenth century, this Elevador do Castelo is quite recent; it was inaugurated on August 31, 2013.
This infrastructure is managed by EMEL - Empresa de Mobilidade e Estacionamento de Lisboa, and not by Carris. The use is, as mentioned, free of charge.
Escalators reduce the effort of climbing up a sloping Lisbon.
Designed by architect João Favila, the Escadinhas da Saúde are a set of escalators that connect Martim Moniz Square to Marquês Ponte de Lima Street, in the Castle, facilitating pedestrian mobility in this historic part of the city.
The Escadinhas da Saúde are 32 meters long and have a gradient of 13 meters, having been inaugurated in October 2015. Open-air and free to use, this equipment is managed by EMEL - Empresa de Mobilidade e Estacionamento de Lisboa. The project began to be planned in 1998 to be realized that year, something that did not materialize.
Credits: photo of Bica's Ascensor by Siyuan via Unsplashphotograph of the Ascensor da Glória by Daniele Salutari via UnsplashPhoto of Lavra's Elevator by João Reguengos via Unsplash; photo of the Santa Justa Elevator by Jan M. Henrich via FlickrCC BY-NC 2.0; photo of the Castle Elevator by João Barroso via FlickrCC BY-NC-SA 2.0; photo of Escadinhas da Saúde by Luís Filipe Catarino/CML; texts of the Ascensor and Elevador de Santa Justa by CML
O LPP / Lisbon For People é um jornal local dedicado à cidade e à área metropolitana de Lisboa, editado de forma totalmente independente e sem fins lucrativos. Com uma edição em papel e outra online.