Pillar 7: Inside Lisbon's 25 de Abril Bridge

Pilar 7 (Pillar 7) is a visitor centre built into one of the concrete supports of Lisbon’s 25 de Abril Bridge, on the Alcântara side of the river. You learn how the bridge was built, then go up to a glass-floored deck right beside the traffic. In 2026 the lift is broken, so you reach the top on foot.

Quick answer: Pilar 7 is open daily, 10am to 6pm (last entry 5pm, closed 25 December) on Avenida da Índia, a few minutes’ walk from LX Factory. The lift is under repair, so the viewing deck means 372 steps. Tickets on the official Visit Lisboa shop are €3, free for under-6s and with the Lisboa Card. Allow about an hour.

What Pilar 7 is

The 25 de Abril Bridge is the red suspension bridge across the Tagus to Almada. Work began in November 1962 and it opened on 6 August 1966 as the Salazar Bridge, named after the dictator. After the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974 it was renamed after the date. It was built by the American Bridge Company, which also built San Francisco’s Bay Bridge, and a railway was added on a lower deck in 1999.

Pilar 7 opened inside one of its pillars on 27 September 2017. Infraestruturas de Portugal owns the bridge, and the Turismo de Lisboa tourist board runs the visit.

The lift in 2026: read this first

The glass lift that normally takes about 40 seconds to the top has been out of action since at least summer 2024. In April 2026 a Portuguese news magazine reported that it had been shut for three years, with no date for the repair. In October 2026 the official ticket page still says the viewpoint can only be reached by stairs: 372 steps, to the level of the 26th floor. The upside is the price, cut to a flat €3 while the lift is down.

What you see

The exhibition

The ground floor has the original model of the bridge project, the shop and a virtual reality room (€1.50 extra) that takes you where visitors can’t go, such as the tops of the towers. The exhibition covers the construction from 1962 to 1966, with photographs of the workers, and the name change.

The mirror room and the cable room

On the fourth floor, mirrors above and below you make the drop look endless. Next door, the cable room gets you close to the steel cables that hold the bridge up.

The viewing deck

The top is a glass platform about 70 metres above the ground, level with the road deck (you will also see 80 metres quoted). The floor and walls are glass, and cars, lorries and trains rumble past right beside you, so you hear and feel every one. Look west to Belém and south across the river to Cristo Rei.

Tickets and opening hours (2026)

• Hours: daily, 10am to 6pm, last entry 5pm. Closed only on 25 December.
• Tickets: €3 for adults, children aged 6 to 15, students and over-65s alike on the official Visit Lisboa shop.
• Free: children aged 5 and under, and Lisboa Card holders, who also get 10% off in the gift shop.
• Where to buy: the official shop (vouchers last six months). Resale sites have charged more, about €5.50 in 2025.

How long to allow

Allow 45 minutes to an hour, longer if you climb slowly. Arrive by about 4pm.

Getting there

• By tram: tram 15E runs from Praça da Figueira and Cais do Sodré towards Belém. Get off at Estação Santo Amaro or Calvário, each within about a 10-minute walk. See the Lisbon trams guide.
• By train: take the Cascais line from Cais do Sodré to Alcântara-Mar, then walk west along Avenida da Índia for about 10 minutes.
• From LX Factory: walk down to Avenida da Índia; the entrance is a few minutes away.

Accessibility

While the lift is broken, the deck is reached only by stairs, which rules it out for wheelchair users and anyone who can’t manage a long climb. If you need step-free access, call Turismo de Lisboa on +351 211 117 880 to ask which parts you can visit. See our accessible travel guide.

Who will like it

• Engineering and history fans: the model, the cables and the name change are the draw.
• Older children: the glass floor and the mirror room go down well, but 372 steps is a lot for small legs. See Lisbon with kids.
• Grey days: most of the visit is indoors, though the view is best when it’s clear. See Lisbon on a rainy day.
• Lisboa Card holders: entry is free. See is the Lisboa Card worth it?

Combine it with

• LX Factory: shops, the Ler Devagar bookshop and lunch, a few minutes away. See the LX Factory guide.
• The Docas: old dock warehouses by the river under the bridge, now restaurants and bars, a short walk away.
• Belém: a few minutes on tram 15E or the train from Alcântara-Mar, or walk along the river past the MAAT. See Belém.
• Cristo Rei: train back to Cais do Sodré, then the ferry to Cacilhas (about 10 minutes) and a bus up. From the statue you look back at the bridge you’ve just climbed. See Cristo Rei.

Is Pilar 7 worth it?

For a view of the city, the free miradouros are better. Santa Catarina looks straight at the bridge, the MAAT roof is free, and Cristo Rei gives a bigger panorama for about €8 to €10. Pilar 7 gives you the bridge itself: standing on glass beside six lanes of traffic. At €3, or free with the Lisboa Card, it’s good value if you can manage the stairs and you’re nearby anyway. If you can’t, wait until the lift is fixed.

FAQ

Is the Pilar 7 lift working?

No, not as of October 2026. The viewpoint can only be reached by the stairs (372 steps), and no repair date has been announced.

How much does Pilar 7 cost?

€3 for everyone aged 6 and over on the official Visit Lisboa shop in October 2026, with virtual reality €1.50 extra. Children aged 5 and under go free.

Is Pilar 7 included in the Lisboa Card?

Yes. Entry is free with the card, and you get 10% off in the gift shop.

Is Pilar 7 worth visiting?

Yes, if you like engineering and can manage 372 steps. For city views alone, the free viewpoints and Cristo Rei are better.

More: things to do in Lisbon and unusual things to do in Lisbon.

See also: the best Lisbon viewpoints, Lisbon’s museums and the MAAT.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.