The Paternoster: Europe's Doorless Elevator

The paternoster is a doorless, conveyor-belt-style elevator that is largely extinct, except in Germany, where enthusiasts have kept the lifts running. Photo: Ellen Jervell/The Wall Street Journal

More from the Wall Street Journal:

[jenniferbourne]

The part of my brain that says "that's dangerous!" and the part of my brain that wants to use one of these are having a fight right now.

0:38 Actually, that's not true. There are still some in other European countries as well. I've seen a coupe in Prague, Czech Republic as well.

[robert]

They are very practical in low rise, high volume areas, like universities and city halls.

[MarkKellyPhotographyUK]

We used to ride one of these in Colmers Store, Bath, UK for ages every day after school, it was magical!😁😁

[fercho]

What if you never get off the elevator? Do you spin around? What if you miss floor one?

[jacksonjackson]

For some reason. Id feel a lot safer if these were the normal elevator. I get people with a disability and some elderly need normal elevators but me having a fear and been stuck in two elevators. Knowing that this never stops moving which means you wont ever stop in between floors is very cool. Also if this system ever failed it wouldnt just plumet to the ground or trap you but slowly coast down depending on which side has more people so you can just hop off instead of being forced inside a box😬

[MaryBethPetra]

I first saw one of these Paternoster elevators in "Metropolis" and thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

[Russia_Moscow_countryhuman]

Imagine missing your floor and having to go around it again 💀

[maestrovso]

I first saw these in Netflix's Babylon Berlin that is set in pre WWII Germany. My immediate thought was how many people lost their limbs or heads back in those days. I am sure the one still operating today must have some safety interlock should you be distracted with you phone, or simply being stupid.

[jenniferhodson]

The one in which I rode in 2016 was located in Turku, the oldest city in Finland.

[harczymarczy]

There are quite a lot (29 according to Wikipedia) of them in Hungary and a few examples in Czechia, Slovakia, Austria, other parts of Europe, Asia and South America.
IMHO it should be allowed again to build them them as long as they are supplemented by at least one conventional elevator or two. They are good for non-disabled and non-elderly people (80-90%) in high-rise, high-volume buildings like office towers and public administration buildings. The remaining 10-20% should use the barrier-free conventional elevator. (Well, for skyscrapers, express elevators may provide a better solution.)

[rykmat]

In Czechia, we have a lot of them still in operation. Most of them are accessible by the public and they are in hospitals too. They are a lot more efficient than regular elevators. Most of them are in listed buildings and are therefore also protected. Although there exist lots of myths and of course a few serious cases happened, paternosters are very safe and most of them operate for decades without any injury. In Prague, all the known accidents for more than 30 years in paternosters were caused by drunk tourist idiots.

[elvirareb]

I’m scared of such elevators. It is my nightmare. I instantly can imagine body parts stuck between the floors or even being decapitated. And OMG hope kids will never be around it.

[theoriginalamvgirl]

Look, I’m just gonna ask: Has anybody ever died in one?
Like, maybe somebody got onto one and lost their balance or something?

I’m watching something on TV and they’re in Germany touring and I mentioned these lifts to my Mum and just had to show her. They’re fascinating, if not a little bit scary! ^^

[boop]

I wanna go on it so bad! Looks so fun 😂

[aaronchapman]

I used the very same Paternoster, when i was at De Montfornt University in Leicester, England, back in the 90's. It was situated in Fletcher building. So much better than waiting for a lift, that never comes.

[fromthestate]

Saw this type of elevator in a true crime documentary. It looks super cool and this is perfect for covid.

[trevorjones]

Man lifts are still common place in US construction sites

[HaGoJaBee]

Do they run constantly? Without break?

[ubet]

First saw this in the movie "The Counterfeit Traitor"