Santa Justa Lift

The Santa Justa Lift is an iconic landmark located in central Lisbon, Portugal. Built in 1902, this impressive 45 meter-tall Gothic-style elevador was designed by Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, an architect of the city’s Municipal Council. From the outside, the metal structure looks like a beautiful castle tower, featuring an ornate wrought iron and wood frame and glazed roof. Internally, the lift has two floors. On the ground floor, the ticket office can be found and the lift operators sit at their various posts. Passengers then travel to the first floor, which takes them up to the top of the lift structure and offers stunning panoramic views of the Lisbon cityscape. Despite the views, the best feature of the Santa Justa Lift is the ‘jardim de Romaria’, the open air garden located at the very top of the elevator and hence the perfect spot for a photo.