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When you live in a hilly city, you get great legs.
Sometimes, however, walking up those hills takes too long and sometimes, you are just not in the mood.
In 1874, the people of Lisbon probably were not very concerned with how their legs looked, like the people of today. The hills within the city, however, consistently presented a problem for those who needed to travel from the lower streets of the Baixa to the higher Bairro Alto districts.
Engineer Roberto Arménio recognized this dilemma and presented a project to the Lisbon municipal council which called for an elevator which would facilitate movement between the two areas.
Although many years commenced prior to its completion and inauguration in the early 1900s, the lift, finally put into operation, made life easier for the residents of Lisbon. Over the years, however, visitors developed a fascination with Elevador Santa Justa, the only vertical lift, as well as the Elevador da Glória, Elevador Lavra and Elevador da Bica, funicular railways within the city. In 2002, the lift, celebrating its first centenary, and the funicular railways were declared National Monuments. Four years later, after a massive remodeling and renovation project, Elevador Santa Justa was opened to the public in 2006 as a tourist attraction.
Reading about this amazing engineering feat, I decided to tackle the Baixa district’s maze of streets and find this Neo-Gothic tower.
Approaching the vertical structure from the rear, I gazed up at the walkway connecting the tower to Largo do Carmo, catching a glimpse of those traversing the walkway and others peeking out over the edge of the observation decks. The iron structure, with its neo-gothic arches and geometric patterns, is truly remarkable to see up close, towering seven stories with its four vertical columns, each composed of two pillars. And if you think there is some semblance to the Eiffel Tower, you would be correct. Roberto Arménio was, indeed, a former student of civil engineer and architect, Gustave Eiffel!
Walking to the front of the structure, the first thing I noticed was a sign, Wait Time, 60 Minutes From This Point.
Gulp…how long?
The line, leading from the sign, down the steps and around the corner didn’t seem so far-reaching so I decided to give it a go. After all, most of the time, wait times go a lot faster than estimated.
As I people watched and played games on my phone to pass the time, the toll of walking all afternoon became apparent on my lower back. I prayed for the line to move more expeditiously and for the lady in front of me to take off her backpack, which she apparently kept forgetting was on her back and hitting me in the face.
30 minutes down. Moved up a level in Candy Crush!
15 minutes to go.
5 minutes more.
Finally, I could see the elevator up ahead. Only, those five minutes seemed to stretch out for eternity, turning into 15 more minutes.
The line finally began to move ahead of me and I quickly counted the number of people, realizing that there had to be limited capacity in the elevator car. Money in hand, I walked up to the door. The elevator operator took one look at me and shut the door in my face, while saying “FULL”!
Moments earlier, I had noticed that the elevator has two cabins, yet only one was in operation. I had began to time the one working elevator’s departure and return and realized that the complete trip was approximately fifteen minutes. So, with an aching back and a growling stomach, I tried to ignore the other tourists crowding around me, assuming if they pushed closer, their wait time would miraculously tick away quicker. Fifteen more minutes. Maybe I could move up another level on Candy Crush if my Iphone had enough charge.
A whirring sound caught my attention and I looked up just as the elevator came to a standstill in front of me. After the descending passengers exited from the rear of the cabin, the door was finally opened and I was allowed to enter.
The cabin, decorated in wood, mirrors and windows, has two benches along each side for those who do not wish to stand. A sign on the wall also confirmed what I had initially thought…capacity, 29 persons.
The thirty second ride was uneventful and I was a bit disappointed that while there were windows, they were covered in a layer of grime so thick that anything worth viewing was a gray, blurry mess.
Exiting the elevator, I stepped out on the platform and made my way around the structure.
Was I blown away?
No, actually, I think I had seen similar views of the city from the castle. Noticing a gentleman in the far corner near a turnstile, I realized that another viewing platform was available one story up via circular stairways…for an additional charge. No thank you, I think the view from 12 feet up will be…the same view. Maybe I was just cranky at this point, especially when I realized why the elevator takes so long to go up and then, come back down. The operator takes a smoke break at the top!
Wandering over the walkway, something suddenly dawned on me. There was no one manning the entrance to the walkway. If you are up on the Largo do Carmo, you can walk on over to the elevator and ride down, getting the elevator experience, for €3. No long lines, no pushy people with backpacks. Maybe I should have investigated this a little more thoroughly before coming.
Upon my descent, I pondered my visit to the Elevador Santa Justa. Was it worth the wait? No.
If there was no wait? Yes.
The Elevador Santa Justa is an important part of technological history as well as that of the “City of Seven Hills”. Take some time to make your way there and see if there is a line. If the wait time is too long, get your exercise and walk up to Largo do Carmo…save yourself some euros and more importantly, time.
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Elevador Santa Justa
- http://www.carris.pt/pt/ascensores-e-elevador/
- Address: R. do Ouro, 1150-060 Lisboa, Portugal
- Hours: March-October, 0700-2300, daily. Viewpoint open 0900-2300, daily. November-February, 0700-2100, daily. Viewpoint open 0900-2100, daily.
- Admission: €5.15 for up to 2 journeys. Purchased onboard. A 24-hour public transportation ticket can also be purchased from any metro station for €6.15 and includes admission to the Elevador Santa Justa as well as the Gloria Funicular, the number 28 tram and the tram to Belem.
- Getting There: Closest metro stations, Baixa-Chiado or Rossio