Elevator Lacerda

The Elevador Lacerda is the landmark public elevator that links the two levels of Salvador, Brazil, the Cidade Alta (upper town) and Cidade Baixa (lower town), in a swift 30-second ride. Opened in 1873, it was the world's first urban elevator, and its four cabins still carry tens of thousands of people a day between the historic Pelourinho district above and the Mercado Modelo and waterfront below. The Art Deco tower is a symbol of the city.

For visitors, the real reward is the view: from the upper terrace beside the elevator, the panorama sweeps across the Bay of All Saints (Baía de Todos os Santos), the harbour, and the lower city. It's a tiny fare for a quick ride and a great vista, and a practical link when exploring Salvador's historic core.

Don't miss

• A 30-second ride between Salvador's upper and lower towns
• The panoramic view over the Bay of All Saints
• The Art Deco landmark tower
• Its claim as the world's first urban elevator
• Easy access between Pelourinho and the Mercado Modelo

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Elevator Lacerda

Cheapest way inScars of San Salvador5★ · 45 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$15 per personSee dates →Most bookedPrivate Walking Tour of Salvador Pelourinho4.9★ · 315 travelers2–3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$60 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleArrival Transfer El Salvador Int. Airport to San Salvador Hotels5★ · 11 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$25 per personSee dates →

Good for

How travelers rate it

Know before you go

• It's a working public transport link as well as a sight, a tiny fare for the ride and view.
• The upper terrace beside it has the best Bay of All Saints panorama.
• Keep usual city awareness around the busy lower-town and market area.
• Combine it with Pelourinho above and the Mercado Modelo below.

A bit of history

Inaugurated in 1873 (and rebuilt in Art Deco style in 1930), the Elevador Lacerda was the first urban elevator in the world, conceived to solve the steep divide between Salvador's upper and lower towns. Named after the engineer Antônio Lacerda, it remains a working part of the city's transport.