Lisbon inaugurated on September 3, 2026, a memorial dedicated to the 16 fatal victims of the Gloria Funicular accident, exactly one year after the tragedy that occurred in the late afternoon of September 3, 2025, when cabin number 1 of the historic funicular derailed during its descent down Calçada da Glória and crashed into the surrounding urban area, causing 16 deaths and 24 injuries. Among the fatal victims were people of 15 nationalities: five Portuguese, three British, two South Korean, two Canadian, one Swiss, one French, one Ukrainian, and one American.
The memorial was installed at Largo da Oliveirinha, next to Calçada da Glória, and features as its central element an adult olive tree approximately 150 years old, surrounded by 16 stone blocks in limestone arranged radially, one for each fatal victim. The composition also includes a semicircular bench in natural stone, a metal railing with integrated lighting, and a structure for placing flowers. The choice of the olive tree relates to the place name and is intended to symbolize continuity and remembrance.
The technical and judicial investigation process continues. The preliminary report by GPIAAF concluded that the cable connection to cabin number 1 broke, triggering the derailment, also identifying failures in the procurement, control, and maintenance processes of the cable. The Judicial Police conducted searches at Carris and at the company responsible for maintaining the funicular, and GPIAAF expects to publish the final report by the end of March 2027.
The Gloria Funicular, originally opened in 1885, was severely damaged and the remaining historic funiculars remained suspended. Carris announced its intention to develop a new funicular with monitoring systems and new technological solutions, anticipating a possible entry into operation in 2029. The ensemble formed by the funicular and the surrounding urban area is classified as a National Monument.
