Funicular dos Guindais

41°8′27.6″N 8°36′34.2″W / 41.141000°N 8.609500°W / 41.141000; -8.609500Opened19th centuryOwnerPortuguese RepublicTechnical detailsMaterialGraniteDesign and constructionArchitect(s)Raoul Mesnier du PonsardWebsitehttp://www.metrodoporto.pt

The Guindais Funicular (Portuguese: Funicular dos Guindais) is a funicular railway in the civil parish of Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória, Portuguese municipality of Porto.

History

The original line was inaugurated on 3 June 1891.^[1] Almost exactly 2 years later, on 5 June 1893, there was an accident caused by excess velocity, and the funicular car was decommissioned.^[1]

The former "House" of the funicular railway was by 1893 occupied by an atelier operated by sculptor Henrique Moreira.^[1] It was later remodelled to function as a meeting hall for local Jehovah's Witnesses.^[1]

As part of a larger initiative to improve the transport infrastructure of Porto, a new funicular and station was inaugurated on 19 February 2004, following the same line as before.

Architecture

The funicular is situated along the wall of Freiras, running down a steep cliff between the quay at Guindais and Rua da Batalha (terminating at building of the Civil Governor).^[2][3]

Owned and operated by the Porto Metro, the single-track funicular uses a central loop system that is 281 metres (922 ft) long, allowing it to descend 61 metres (200 ft), with the upper 90 metres (295 ft) situated within the passenger tunnel, with the markedly steep gradient in the section below the passing loop. Two vehicles run the course, with a capacity for 25 persons each, operating at a maximum speed of 5 metres per second (16 ft/s). Due to the difference in slope along the line, the cars have self-levelling platforms, allowing the car floor to maintain itself horizontal no matter the track incline.^[2] Although the journey is short (approximately 3 minutes) after emerging from the upper tunnel, passengers are able to view the landscape from the Dom Luís I Bridge, the river margins (including both quays along Ribeira and Cais de Gaia and the Port wine warehouses and traditional boats along the Douro River.

The service is commonly used by locals/commuters to access the river and metro services, including the metro at São Bento: the service runs from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, with extended hours to midnight on weekends and holidays.

Gallery

• 
  Car at the passing loop
• 
  Two the funicular cars as they each reach the passing loop
• 
  The lower station
• 
  The upper station
• 
• 
  A close up of a car in extended mode

See also

• List of funicular railways
• Porto Metro
• Trams in Porto

References

Sources

• Porto a Património Mundial, Processo de Candidatura da Cidade do Porto à classificação pela UNESCO como Património Cultural da Humanidade - 1993 (in Portuguese), Porto, Portugal: Câmara Municipal do Porto, 1993

External links

• Porto Funicular fan site