Did you know? · Lisbon
Lisbon fun facts
Things you might not know about Lisbon. Every fact comes from an official or primary source, named alongside it.
Updated October 2026
A monastery and a tower
UNESCO listed the Monastery of the Hieronymites and the Tower of Belém in 1983. The monastery’s works began in 1501–02, under King Manuel I (museusemonumentos.pt).
A lift that ran on steam
The Santa Justa lift, designed by Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, opened on 10 July 1902 and ran on steam until it was electrified in November 1907 (carris.pt). It is temporarily closed in 2026.
A museum of royal coaches
Queen Amélia founded the National Coaches Museum in 1905 (mncoches.gov.pt).
Two old pastry recipes
The Confeitaria Nacional has stood on the Praça da Figueira since 1829 (confeitarianacional.com), and the Pastéis de Belém bakery has made its pastries since 1837 from a recipe that came from the Jerónimos Monastery, in its own words (pasteisdebelem.pt).
Questions and answers
When was the Santa Justa lift built?
It opened on 10 July 1902, according to Carris.