It is located in the neighborhood of Vila da Nazaré, center of the village, in Praia da Nazaré, in Sítio da Nazaré, in the parish and municipality of Nazaré, in the central region of Portugal
The Nazaré Elevator is a funicular that is a special type of railway used to climb large slopes, which runs on rails and normally has two cabins linked by a steel cable over a railway track in such a way that while one vehicle goes up the other goes down, which makes it possible to take advantage of the potential energy of what is at the top to raise the bottom as the one that is lowering is braked.
The elevator was inaugurated on July 28, 1889, designed by Raul Mesnier, and initially ran on steam only during the bathing season (being open all year round in the 1930s), the cabins had a red livery until the 2002 renovation, and initially carried 60 passengers.
In 1924, the Nazaré funicular was acquired by the Confraria de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, manager of the sanctuary, and in 1932 it passed into the hands of the City Council.
In 1968, the funicular ran on electricity and was equipped with better safety systems such as a triple braking system.
In 2002 it was closed for extensive renovations with the replacement of cabins (new blue livery) and renovation of the terminals.
The Nazaré funicular consists of a fenced track with a constant slope, and with an open cable on pulleys, with an inclination of 42%, and a distance of 318 meters (50 in a tunnel) connecting two sections of a railway track.
The funicular is located in an urban context, attached and located on a steep promontory, with a slope of 42%, which connects the settlements of Praia and Sítio, providing a remarkable view of Nazaré.
The terminals are adapted to the runways of the respective gradients with the Praia terminal attached behind two facades, and the Sítio terminal adsorbed in bathrooms and surrounded by public roads.
The system includes two cars connected by an underground cable that go up and down simultaneously along the line.
At the start and end terminals, the lines are singular, but split along the descent/ascent, allowing parallel transit along the middle of the course.
The main cable travels along the line powered by electrical power, each car is painted blue, and includes three interior compartments and three access doors with the extreme ends occupied by the driving sections.
The central area is occupied by eight rows of bunks oriented longitudinally and four bunks transversely.
At the entrance to the terminal tunnel at Sítio there is a blue and white tile panel with the representation of the funicular and marble plate with the inscription: “Centenary of the Lift / of Nazaré / 1889 - 1989 / Plaza 28 de Julho 1989 century anniversary of / funicular de Nazaré / 1889 - 1989 / 28 de Julho 1989”.
In the tunnel is another marble inscription: "TO THE MEMORY / OF / DR. ANTÓNIO TAVARES L. CRESPO / FOUNDER OF THE NAZARETH Lift / INAUGURATED ON JULY 28, 1889 / TRIBUTE TO MUNICIPAL SERVICES / 18-7-1998" ''''''''In memoriam / by / Dr. António L. Tavares Crespo / Founder of the Nazaré Funicular / Opened on July 28, 1889”.
The other, a bas-relief by Ferreira da Silva, and integrated into the facade of the former Hotel D. Fuas, reproduced and offered to the municipality of Nazaré by Luis Tereso Henriques (28 July 2004): “Milagre de Nª. Sª. da Nazaré/ a D. Fuas Roupinho Milagre de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré / de D. Fuas Roupinho”.
The elevator was inaugurated on July 28, 1889, designed by Raul Mesnier, and initially ran on steam only during the bathing season (being open all year round in the 1930s), the cabins had a red livery until the 2002 renovation, and initially carried 60 passengers.
In 1924, the Nazaré funicular was acquired by the Confraria de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, manager of the sanctuary, and in 1932 it passed into the hands of the City Council.
In 1968, the funicular ran on electricity and was equipped with better safety systems such as a triple braking system.
In 2002 it was closed for extensive renovations with the replacement of cabins (new blue livery) and renovation of the terminals.
The Nazaré funicular consists of a fenced track with a constant slope, and with an open cable on pulleys, with an inclination of 42%, and a distance of 318 meters (50 in a tunnel) connecting two sections of a railway track.
The funicular is located in an urban context, attached and located on a steep promontory, with a slope of 42%, which connects the settlements of Praia and Sítio, providing a remarkable view of Nazaré.
The terminals are adapted to the runways of the respective gradients with the Praia terminal attached behind two facades, and the Sítio terminal adsorbed in bathrooms and surrounded by public roads.
The system includes two cars connected by an underground cable that go up and down simultaneously along the line.
At the start and end terminals, the lines are singular, but split along the descent/ascent, allowing parallel transit along the middle of the course.
The main cable travels along the line powered by electrical power, each car is painted blue, and includes three interior compartments and three access doors with the extreme ends occupied by the driving sections.
The central area is occupied by eight rows of bunks oriented longitudinally and four bunks transversely.
At the entrance to the terminal tunnel at Sítio there is a blue and white tile panel with the representation of the funicular and marble plate with the inscription: “Centenary of the Lift / of Nazaré / 1889 - 1989 / Plaza 28 de Julho 1989 century anniversary of / funicular de Nazaré / 1889 - 1989 / 28 de Julho 1989”.
In the tunnel is another marble inscription: "TO THE MEMORY / OF / DR. ANTÓNIO TAVARES L. CRESPO / FOUNDER OF THE NAZARETH Lift / INAUGURATED ON JULY 28, 1889 / TRIBUTE TO MUNICIPAL SERVICES / 18-7-1998" ''''''''In memoriam / by / Dr. António L. Tavares Crespo / Founder of the Nazaré Funicular / Opened on July 28, 1889”.
The other, a bas-relief by Ferreira da Silva, and integrated into the facade of the former Hotel D. Fuas, reproduced and offered to the municipality of Nazaré by Luis Tereso Henriques (28 July 2004): “Milagre de Nª. Sª. da Nazaré/ a D. Fuas Roupinho Milagre de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré / de D. Fuas Roupinho”.
