Lisbon's Ponte 25 de Abril marks 60 years with drone show and EUR 1.6M annual upkeep

A diamond anniversary over the Tagus

The Ponte 25 de Abril, the suspension bridge linking Lisbon and Almada across the Tagus River, marks its 60th anniversary on August 6, 2026. IP, Lusoponte, and Fertagus organized a 10-minute 3D drone show with approximately 500 drones projected from the south bank near Cristo Rei, visible from the Docas area in Lisbon. The three companies called the celebration a recognition of the role the bridge continues to play in the economic, social and urban life of the country.

“This joint celebration represents the recognition of the role that the Ponte 25 de Abril continues to play in the economic, social and urban life of the country, remaining as a strategic infrastructure, but also as a place of memory and shared identity”

From Salazar to 25 de Abril

The idea of bridging Lisbon and Almada surfaced in the 1870s, but construction began only on November 5, 1962, during the Estado Novo. Nearly four years and 3,000 daily workers later, the bridge opened on August 6, 1966, as the Ponte Salazar, named after the dictator who served as president of the Council of Ministers. Four workers died during construction, according to Estado Novo data. After the Carnation Revolution of 1974, the bridge was renamed Ponte 25 de Abril. The original cost was approximately 2 million contos (about EUR 10 million) per SIC Noticias, or 2.2 million contos (about EUR 11 million) per Correio da Manha, without inflation adjustment.

Engineering scale

The bridge is the largest suspension bridge in Europe carrying both road and rail traffic, with a total length of 2.3 kilometers and a central span exceeding 1 kilometer. SAPO and Noticias ao Minuto report the main towers rise 196 meters above water level, while Correio da Manha gives 190 meters. The south pillar extends 80 meters below water. Construction used 72,600 tons of steel and 74.196 kilometers of steel wire. The deck sits approximately 70 meters above the Tagus. The structure was designed to flex: the rail deck can oscillate up to 75 centimeters per side, and tower tops can move up to 1 meter, providing wind and earthquake resistance.

Maintenance and contested safety

IP stated the bridge is under permanent inspection and maintenance by a dedicated internal team, with an average annual investment of approximately EUR 1.6 million covering inspections, materials, equipment, studies, and consulting. The agency works with ISQ (Institute of Welding and Quality) and LNEC (National Laboratory of Civil Engineering) for structural monitoring, while the original designer, the American company Parsons, continues tracking the structure. The most recent rehabilitation was completed in March 2024, and studies are underway for a general painting project. In September 2025, Bruno Mascarenhas, a Chega party member in Lisbon, told the municipal assembly that the bridge was "in a worrying state regarding its support."

IP responded that its activities ensure the bridge continues to meet the highest standards of safety, reliability and performance.

“The activities of inspection, monitoring and maintenance carried out ensure that the Ponte 25 de Abril continues to respond to the highest standards of safety, reliability and performance, preserving an emblematic infrastructure that, every day, guarantees the crossing of the Tagus river to hundreds of thousands of people”

Daily traffic and regional impact

More than 300,000 people cross the bridge daily, with approximately 150,000 vehicles and 174 trains per day. Before the bridge, travel between Lisbon and the south bank relied primarily on boats, constraining movement of people and goods. The connection spurred urbanization of the Setubal Peninsula with significant population growth. Originally road-only, the bridge gained a rail deck on July 29, 1999, when the lower deck entered service. Road lanes were expanded over the years to meet growing demand.