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Day 95, Tuesday, April 29 2025 - Lisbon, Portugal
Walked from the ship to the elevator Santa Justa Lift. I also walked all the way to the second square on Rua Augusta (Rossio Square or Praça do Rossio).
I was at the elevator Santa Justa Lift (also called Carmo Lift) and the ruins of the Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The Santa Justa Lift, also called Carmo Lift, is an elevator, or lift, in the civil parish of Santa Maria Maior, in the historic center of Lisbon, Portugal. Situated at the end of Rua de Santa Justa, it connects the lower streets of the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo.
It was inaugurated as one of the city’s public transport systems on 10 July 1902 and was called Elevador do Carmo (Carmo Lift).
The Elevador de Santa Justa stands 147 ft (45m) tall and the structure is built in the same style as the renowned French architect, the Eiffel. The similarity between his designs and this Elevator is not accidental, as it was built by Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard, who was an admirer of Gustave Eiffel and applied the same techniques used in some of the funiculars in France of the time.
The Lift has a stunning observation deck at the top and offers magnificent views over Baixa. Since it was opened to the public, it has become one of the most popular viewpoints in Lisbon.
Curiously, this lift can carry 20 people upwards, but can only take 15 people down. Nevertheless, when it was first inaugurated, it held up to 24 people.
The Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a former Catholic convent located in the civil parish of Santa Maria Maior, municipality of Lisbon, Portugal.
The ruined Carmo Convent is one of Lisbon's most hauntingly beautiful sights. It was its greatest medieval building, but stands as a reminder of the devastating earthquake of 1755 that destroyed most of the city. Its roof collapsed on the congregation as it was attending Mass on that All saints’ Day, and was never rebuilt, but the Gothic arches still stand. Most of the architecture dates back to the 1300s, but Manueline (Portuguese Gothic) windows and other details were added later, in the 16th and 18th centuries.
Miraculously, much of the art in the convent survived the earthquake, and was then distributed among the different churches in the city. However, many pieces of artistic and cultural interest remain, and can be seen around the Gothic arches and in the sacristy, which was not damaged in the disaster.
The sacristy’s small archaeological museum presents an eclectic collection that was donated by archaeologists in the 19th century.
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