Elevador de Santa Justa

In the heart of Baixa, the Santa Justa Lift shows how Lisbon turned an urban problem into beauty. Opened in 1902 to overcome the steep difference in level between Rua do Ouro and Largo do Carmo, it was designed by Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard and first operated by steam before changing to electricity in 1907. Its iron structure, laced with neo-Gothic arches, makes it far more than a means of transport: it is a rare piece of Lisbon’s industrial architecture and the only vertical lift the city still preserves. During a visit, it is worth noticing the wood-lined cabins, the delicacy of the metal decoration and the suspended walkway leading to Carmo. From the top, among rooftops, ruins and hills, it becomes clear why this monument remains one of Lisbon’s most distinctive images.