We are on Calçada da Cruz da Pedra, near the Convento da Madre de Deus, and we look through the window at number 15. We wanted to measure the back wall of the store, but no one rented it. Maybe for the reason it brings us here – it’s really small.
We advance to number 5, the address of Eco Bike Lisboa, where we explain to Daniel, the owner, that we suspect that this is the narrowest building in the entire city and tell him our intentions: we want to measure the back wall of the store at number 15. Could he give us the contact details of the building owner? Daniel foresees difficulties: the buildings there all belong to a foundation. Go get a file and read: “Fundação Arcelina Victor dos Santos.”
“I saw someone showing a building the other day and saying it was the narrowest in Lisbon and I thought: ‘I think this one is even narrower’”, he says, now definitely won over to the cause. “Maybe with the land registry number”, we suggested. “Oh! I think the contract contains the plans for the entire building, not just the store!”, and goes to get a yellow cover full of mica documents. “Here it is!”
We both pored over the sheet as if it were a treasure map. “There’s even a line running from the tip to the facade where the measurements are!” “It’s really marked there!” “70 centimeters!” It has to be the narrowest in Lisbon, we concluded, with smiles of mission accomplished.
+ In this championship, the trophy goes to whoever improvises best
