Ascensor do Lavra

Aglomeracija Lisabona

Ascensor do Lavra

Designed by Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard, the construction of the funicular finished in mid-April 1884. After an inspection, led by engineer Ressano Garcia, it was inaugurated on 19th April and opened to public the next day. Ascensor do Lavra connect Largo da Anunciada (located between Avenida da Liberdade and Rua de São José) at the lower station and Travessa do Forno do Torel at the upper station. On the first day of operation this funicular was for free and transported more than 3 thousand passangers within the first day of 16 hour operation.
With an average slope of 23%, the cars climb 43 meters in a distance of 188 meters. In the begining the cars used a lateral rack (Riggenback-Mesnier system) and water counterweights via cable embeded in the road surface. The cars were connected by the cables and the counterweights were on their roofs. Each time a car reached the lower station the water reservoir was emptied only to be filled again once the car reaches the upper station. The cars had manual brakes and "emergency" brakes which would stop the cars if the cable broke. All equipment was built by Maschinenfabrik Esselingen in Germany under a license from Riggenbach.
The system soon after opening had the same issues as others funiculars and actually everyone else in Lisbon - water supply. A steam boiler andd machinery from Maschinenfabrik Esselingen was later assembled to move the cable, which later was replaced by a high-pressure bioler from Theodor Bell & Co with machinery from Buckau Wolf.
Some accidents occured during the first years of operation. The most serious occured in December 1897, when a fracture in the cable was caused by both cars braking at the same time. After a few months later the operation restarted the cars had new bodies.
In 1915 the funicular was electrified. Pantographs were installed on the roofs of the cars and each received a General Electric GE59 motor. Both motors are connected in series thus allowing them only to move at the same time. The new cars received United Electric Car Company bodies and Maley & Taunton 234 chasis.
Exactly as the other funiculars in Lisbon, the Ascensor do Lavra was owned and operated by Nova Companhia dos Ascensores Mecânicos de Lisboa, which was absorbed by Carris in the 1930ties.
In 1984 the funicular underwent reconstructions to preserve the system and from end of the 1990ties it received electronic ticket validators to allow the use of electronic tickets.
In 2002 it was classified as a National Monument, just like other funiculars in Lisbon.

Information written by Karalis Arturs. Last updated 15^th April 2024.

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161	Aglomeracija Lisabona, Funicular* Br. 1 Lisboa, Calçada do Lavra Author — Arnaldo Madureira Source — Arquivo Municipal de Lisboa (Archive of Lisbon Municipality) 1960s Posted by Karalis Arturs

139	Lisboa, Calçada do Lavra ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv Fotograf: Jack Metzger http://doi.org/10.3932/ethz-a-000668080 1957 god. Posted by Владислав-Днепр

194	Aglomeracija Lisabona, Funicular* Br. 1 Lisboa, Calçada do Lavra ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv Fotograf: Jack Metzger http://doi.org/10.3932/ethz-a-000668081 1957 god. Posted by Владислав-Днепр

157	Rolling Stock Drawings and Blueprints Aglomeracija Lisabona Sketch of the new funicular car design for Ascensor do Lavra in Lisbon from 1930ties. Author — unknown Source — Arquivo Municipal de Lisboa (Archive of Lisbon Municipality) 1930s Posted by Karalis Arturs

88	Aglomeracija Lisabona, Funicular* Br. 1 All Modes: Historical Photos Lisboa, Calçada do Lavra Author — Joshua Benoliel (1873–1932) about 1909 god. Posted by Karalis Arturs

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