Page 31 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2023 LISBON EDITION

The Santa Justa Lift

Few cities claim an elevator as a famous icon
as Lisbon does with the Santa Justa Lift. Built
in 1902, it transported folks from the lower
neighborhood of Baxia to the upper barrio of
Chiado. The first thing we noticed was that the
lift was large - very large, exquisite, and very
phytographical. Crafted from cast iron and em-
bellished with filigree, the rectangular tower
flaunts a distinct turn-of-the-century French
style that echoes the Eiffel Tower. That resem-
blance is thanks to its designer, Portugal’s na-
tive Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, who was a
student of Gustave Eiffel.
Today there are other, more efficient ways to
reach the plateaus of the city. No local would
wait in the seemingly endless line of tourists
for the incredibly short, fast ride to the top.
We admit we joined the queue, and stuck it out
to share a bit of transportation and architec-
tural history. One and done, as they say.

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