The familiar sight and sound of Lisbon’s beloved Gloria funicular, a century-old symbol of the city’s steep hills and winding streets, was shattered today as a catastrophic crash left at least 16 dead and more than 20 injured. The accident, which occurred during a bustling rush hour, has plunged the Portuguese capital into a state of shock and grief, prompting a day of national mourning.
The tragedy unfolded just after 6 p.m. local time on the Elevador da Glória, a funicular that links the Restauradores Square with the scenic Bairro Alto neighborhood. Witnesses told local media that the ascending carriage, packed with a mix of tourists and residents, suddenly began to lurch backward before the descending car appeared to lose all control. It reportedly careened down the steep slope, derailed, and slammed with brutal force into a building just yards from the end of the line.
“It hit the building and fell apart like a cardboard box,” one witness told Portuguese television.
Emergency services, including firefighters and paramedics, swarmed the narrow street, pulling mangled wreckage from the site and a grim procession of victims from the wreckage. Officials confirmed that both Portuguese citizens and foreign nationals were among the dead and injured, highlighting the global scale of the tragedy. Among the injured were people from Spain, Germany, Italy, and South Korea, underscoring the funicular’s status as a major tourist attraction.
The cause of the crash is not yet known. Portuguese authorities have launched a formal investigation, and officials are reportedly looking into claims of a snapped cable and potential brake failure. The municipal public transport company, Carris, which operates the line, said in a statement that “all maintenance protocols have been carried out” and that daily inspections had been completed, but the city’s mayor, Carlos Moedas, said, “The city needs answers.”
In response to the disaster, Lisbon has suspended all other funiculars and a major historic elevator for urgent safety inspections. The crash has cast a shadow over a city that has become a major destination for tourism, raising profound questions about the safety of its historic transportation systems.
As families gathered at local hospitals to seek news of loved ones, a sense of collective sorrow settled over Lisbon. The city’s mayor declared three days of municipal mourning, and President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed hope that the cause of the “tragic accident” would soon be established, but for now, the shock of a city’s a tragic moment for a city that has always prided itself on its charm and resilience.