Like Athens, Rome the Colosseum, Paris its tower, London, Big Ben or the Statue of Liberty, so has its very characteristic yellow trams and cable car. The transport means that carry the patina of time to each of them and cause almost proportional nostalgia even to those who look at them in a photo can look humbly and a little in front of the beastly landmarks of other cities. But they have been in the DNA of the daily life of the Portuguese capital for a century and a half and at least functioned as a tourist shield.
Yes, it sounds almost oxymoron for a country that gave birth to large seafarers like Ferdinand and Vasko da Gama paying tribute and identify with a means of transport that the need gave birth and nurtured the industrial revolution, but it is true.
It is estimated that each year with the Gloria line 3 million citizens moved
Small, yellow & almighty
Lisbon’s yellow cables, those that have a dominant position in the Instagram snapshots of visitors to the city and have served as an ideal scene of photography for the entire universe, were actually designed to facilitate the lives of its indigenous people. Those who had the privilege of being born, but it is unlucky to be surrounded by seven hills. In other words, he has a difficult height differences that man has decided to make when he acquired the media.
It was in 1884 when Nova Companhia Dos Ascensores Mecânicos de Lisboa after securing state permit delivered to the residents of Lisbon a great- but still impressive- technological miracle. The Ascensor Do Lavra cable car eliminated the distance between the Santo Antonio and Arroios district, and mainly relieved the locals from a daily slowly. They would no longer need to pour even sweat stals to travel 188 meters with an average inclination of 22.9%.
Snapshot from the first years of operation of the Gloria Street cable car
It was such a success of the new way of moving that 18 months later, at the end of October 1885, the Gloria line was released to function as a link between the Baixa areas and the famous BAIRRO ALTO tourist development today. The 275 meters with the slope of 17.7%, which one had to go to go to go to, was now a three -minute case. In 1892 he started the routes and a third line ascansor da bica to the standards of the two previous ones.
Eiffel student
The father of all three new vehicles for the era of vehicles were causing awe after doing something previously impossible, was Raul Di Psar, a Portuguese engineer who had even served on the side of the pioneer Gustavi Eiffel. Born in Porto, studying mathematics at the University of Kivra and with experience gained in the field in France, Germany and Switzerland, Di Psar was enjoying a national hero from his compatriots.
The creator of the Lisbon cables
His biggest and most famous work- up to the three Lisbon cables- was the one in Braga, northwestern Portugal. The Bom Jesus do Monte Funicular, which remains functional to date, was inaugurated on March 25, 1882, persuaded the country’s government of its usefulness, security and functionality and became the standard for creating the corresponding Lisbon lines.
Monuments
Di Pscar had to devise solutions for insurmountable issues, including the slope of the ground, the steep turns and the small width of the city streets. Although probably self -evident today, his idea of the Gloria line was radical for the season. The two wagons are attached to the opposite ends of a traction rope, are powered by air cables (initially steam) and always move at the same time in the opposite direction, operating as a counterweight to the other.
The cable car have been inextricably linked to the life of the Portuguese, but over the last few decades have given their alien useful value to aesthetics – after all, the Lisbon tram network is overall. In 2002, the country’s Ministry of Culture announced the three -line cable car in national heritage monuments – along with Santa Justa Lift also designed by Di Ponchar.
The decision was rather fair for such a historical and pioneering network for the season and was duly appreciated by visitors to the Portuguese capital, who until recently fulfilled their tourist treasures boarding the retro yellow cabins operating 144. It is estimated that only 3 million citizens moved each year. Yes, in addition to the victims of the tragic accident, Lisbon also mourns a deep crack in her tourist and instagram showcase.
