The accident that left Lisbon without its Gloria funicular in 1915

The Gloria Funicular is one of Lisbon’s icons, linking since 1885 the Praça dos Restauradores to the Bairro Alto. Its route, though short, carries with it more than a century of memories, bearing witness to daily life and the city’s transformation. Few know, however, that in 1915 it suffered such a serious accident that it remained out of service for nearly a decade.

The early 20th century brought the modernization of funiculars, with electrification replacing the power of gravity and the water-powered counterweight. It was in this context that misfortune struck. The adaptation works did not proceed without risks, and a major accident forced the immediate suspension of the service. The episode, described by the press of the time as spectacular, deeply marked the people of Lisbon, accustomed to the constant movement of the yellow cars up and down the hill.

For years, the absence of the funicular was felt as an open wound in the heart of the city. Residents and local shopkeepers mourned the loss of a means of transport that facilitated the connection between two such different urban worlds: the sophistication of the Baixa and the bohemian spirit of the Bairro Alto. The silence of the rails became a metaphor for a Lisbon suspended between tradition and modernity.

Only in 1923, after pressure from Lisbon’s City Council, was the Ascensor Company obliged to complete the works and return the funicular to the city. Its reopening did not erase the memory of the 1915 accident, which remains a dark chapter in the history of this Lisbon landmark.

The memory of that moment takes on new relevance today, at a time when Lisbon once again faces a tragic accident on the same funicular, this time with fatalities, reminding us that history is also written with episodes of pain.

Paulo Freitas do AmaralProfessor, Historian and Author