ASCENSOR DA GLÓRIA

Description

Essentials about the Ascensor da Glória in brief

When visiting Lisbon, a ride on one of the streetcars as well as on one of the funiculars is a must. The Ascensor da Glória is the longest of Lisbon’s three funiculars. At a length of 265 meters, the funicular connects the Baixa (lower town) district with the Bairro Alto (upper town), or more precisely the Praça dos Restauradores with the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, from where you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view over the center of Lisbon.

The history of the Ascensor da Glória

Inaugurated in 1885, the Ascensor da Glória is the second oldest funicular in the Portuguese capital. Like the other two funiculars (the Ascensor do Lavra and the Ascensor da Bica), the Ascensor da Glória was built in the late 19th century to provide access to the higher parts of Lisbon that could not be reached by the horse-drawn tramway due to the steep gradients. Despite their similarity to the tramway, funiculars are called “ascensor” (meaning “elevator”) and are sometimes called “elevador” in common usage, which actually means a vertically moving elevator.

Originally, funiculars were powered by water ballast. As cable streetcars, which had been in operation since 1890, began to be replaced by electric streetcars, the funiculars were finally converted to electric propulsion between 1910 and 1914.

The three streetcars are considered extremely reliable and were almost completely spared accidents for over a century. In recent years, the cars have often been the target of sprayers, which is why most of them are no longer yellow and white but colorful.