Lisbon is one of the best places for tourists. Every year the attractiveness of Lisbon grows even more and the most sensible tourists prefer visiting this incredible resort and bite a big chunk of a pleasant holiday exactly from Lisbon. “Lisbon things to see list” is very long because during the long history it has accumulated a lot of attractions and cultural sites that make foreigners from around the world come and admire it. Lisbon is home to countless monuments, churches, parks and museums and if you visit Portugal take into account that it’s only in Lisbon that you might stay for a few weeks wandering along the black and white artistic streets, spend happy hours on the observation deck and hang out in endless cafes the variety of which might make you feel dizzy. Today we are going to visit a place, which differs from all common destinations. We’ll visit Santa Justa Elevator.
Santa Justa is located in one of the finest districts of Lisbon named Baixa and is very popular among the inhabitants of the city. Santa Justa elevator is approximately 45 meters tall and it’s an old attraction built in 1902, a few years the popular Paris Eiffel Tower was erected. Santa Justa is the city’s one of the most-loved landmarks sometimes called Elevator of Carmo. The Elevator is like the brother of Eiffel and was actually inspired by the renowned Iron Lady of France. Nevertheless, it’s very much different from the Eiffel Tower because the Portuguese Iron Lady was built to connect Baixa with the Igreja do Carmo/Carmo Church/. It also presents the power of Portuguese iron industry.
Santa Justa is open every day from 7:00 am until 23:00 pm and the ticket for one person costs 2.80 Euros. If hate standing in the line, visit it in the morning or in the evening because the middle of the day is very busy. The closest subway to Santa Justa is Rossio, hereby you can easily get there either by subway or public transport, which is available all day long.
The Santa Justa Elevator transports passengers about forty five meters up from the Rua do Carmo to Thelargo do Carmo, which is also a delightful place in front of Igreja do Carmo. On the top of the elevator you will find a fabulous cafe from where you can admire the glaring scenery of Lisbon. To make it even more amazing, visit it during vibrant Lisbon nights and you will see how the city, all covered with dark, is shining with millions of lights and warmly welcomes you in its embrace.
This gorgeous heritage of Lisbon was designed by Raul Mesnier de Ponsard who was a student of the popular iron craftsman Gustave Eiffel whose most powerful creation is the magnificent Eiffel Tower. After studying under Eiffel, he returned to his birthplace Lisbon to design his own iron masterpiece, which doesn’t fail to amaze people even now that so many years have passed. The construction was started in 1900 and was finished in 1902. More than 3000 tickets were sold during the opening ceremony. It became as popular and renowned as Eiffel Tower, and by the end of the first year more than half a million passengers had been here. The tower was built to transport people from Baixa to Carmo Square, which are the city’s highest and lowest points.
Baixa district is in the heart of Lisbon and the biggest and glamor shopping centers and banking areas are situated there. After the disastrous earthquake of 1755, it was totally rebuilt and converted into a new and fashionable part of historical Lisbon. If you are in search of a true neoclassical architecture and culture, then this place is what you need. This destination is so significant that has become a World Heritage Site. Elegant and extravagant squares, artistic streets with fascinating stories about the alluring city, old tramcars and world-class cafes: it’s like a small city in Lisbon. Only after you enter this place, you will finally get why it’s so crowded and noisy. Tourists especially appreciate the variety of souvenir shops, where you can buy traditional items and decorations of Portugal. Baxia is also a great place to stay and it is home to many deluxe hotels, that will surely suit your budget, so don’t go far, stay in Baxia and admire the Iron Creation of Lisbon right from your window.
So Lisbon is the city where you will never get bored, moreover, you will not manage to visit all the places during one visit. But Santa Justa must be on the top because it tells you a whole history full of victories and struggles, it brings you to another world, which lacked technologies but never creativity, imagination and will to turn the imagination into reality.
