Elevador Lacerda — Attraction in Região Geográfica Imediata de Salvador

A Nostalgic and Surprising Visit to Elevador Lacerda

As a Lebanese-Brazilian, visiting Brazil for the first time was a deeply personal experience. One of the places I was most excited to see was Elevador Lacerda—my grandmother never stopped talking about it. She would always describe how it connected the lower and upper parts of Salvador, and I imagined it as something grand and almost mythical.

But when I finally saw it, I couldn’t stop laughing. That’s it?! I thought. It was funny to realize how something that once seemed magical in her time now felt so simple. Still, experiencing it firsthand made me appreciate its historical significance and the nostalgia it carries for so many.

It’s a reminder of how times change, but the stories and emotions tied to a place remain...

A very traditional landmark of the city, this elevator is known as the first public elevator on the entire Amreica. It connects the up and down part of the town (where the Modelo Market is located). The fee to use is very unexpensive - only BRL 0.15 cents. It's also a good place to enjoy the breathtaking view of the All Saints Bay. Unfortunately, the surroundings are not as safe as expected, but note that this is very common for historical cities in Brazil. I do recommend you to be accompanied by a local to avoid unsafe areas and to avoid the local vendors who can be very insisting. As always, enjoy it during the daytime. The elevator doesn't offer a panoramic view (it was not built with this intention), but it has a glass corridor that can be the place for...

The Lacerda Elevator (Elevador Lacerda) is a public urban elevator located in Salvador, Brazil, connecting the lower city  to the upper city. The 72 metres (236 ft) elevator was built between 1869 and 1873; it was named after Antônio de Lacerda, director of the Commercial Association of Bahia.2 It was a hydraulic elevator at first; later operating by electricity since 1906. The elevator towers were renovated in 1930, in an Art Deco styling. The Lacerda Elevator has two towers, one that pierces the stone slope of the Ladeira da Montanha, and the other, more visible, goes to the Cidade Baixa level. The elevator has four lifts, carrying 27 passengers each on a 30-second ride costing 0.15 reais. In 2019 it transported more than 33,000...