The Abandoned Restaurante Monsanto
In the hills just to the northwest of Lisbon is one of the city’s more unique viewpoints. Although the former Restaurante Monsanto has been abandoned for years, its circular shell has remained intact. You’re no longer able to order a delicious meal, but nothing is stopping you from enjoying the views.
We were surprised to see a guard stationed at the entrance to the restaurant. Visiting an abandoned site is supposed to be slightly illicit, but that’s not the case at Monsanto. The guard waved as we entered, and we even saw a sign with opening hours for the viewpoint. The city must have realized that it could never keep the curious away from a spot this intriguing, so why even try?
The restaurant must have been remarkable when it was opened, and I wonder how it possibly could have failed. The circular architecture is weird, and the surviving murals suggest that Monsanto had style. Anyway, with a view this spectacular, it would have hardly even mattered if the food were bad.
The views and the murals look amazing. To bad about the “ugly” graffiti….. the scribbles in black. The rest of the graffiti qualifies as art to me. I call it street art.