A paternoster or paternoster lift is a passenger elevator which consists of a chain of open compartments (each usually designed for two persons) that move slowly in a loop up and down inside a building without stopping. Passengers can step on or off at any floor they like.
History
First built in 1884 by Londoner J. E. Hall as the Cyclic Elevator, the name paternoster ("Our Father", the first two words of the Lord's Prayer in Latin) was originally applied to the device because the elevator is in the form of a loop and is thus similar to rosary beads used as an aid in reciting prayers.
Paternosters were popular throughout the first half of the 20th century as they could carry more passengers than ordinary elevators. They were more common in continental Europe, especially in public buildings, than in the United Kingdom. However, a number of United Kingdom, multi-storey, university buildings were built in the early 1960s and 1970s with paternoster lifts: they included buildings at Aston University; Birmingham University's Gisbert Kapp building (the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, completed in 1971), the Muirhead Tower, and the University Library); Birmingham City University's Baker Building; Leicester University's Attenborough Building; Leeds University's Roger Stevens building, now closed, Salford University's tower block, now demolished; Sheffield University's Arts Tower, Imperial College's Chemistry Department, De Montfort University's Fletcher Building (now replaced with high speed lifts,) and James Went Building (now demolished) Oxford University's Biochemistry building and Thom Building, and Newcastle University. Until the late 1980s St. Thomas' Hospital, Westminster had a paternoster for staff use, while one administrative building at AEE Winfrith had one until the late 1990s.
Today, in many countries the construction of new paternosters is no longer allowed because of the high danger of accidents (people tripping or falling over when trying to enter or alight). In 1989, the paternoster in Newcastle University's Claremont Tower was taken out of service after a passenger undertaking an up-and-over journey became caught in the drive chain, necessitating a rescue by the Fire Service. A conventional elevator was subsequently installed in its place. This accident led to an 18-month close-down of all UK paternosters for a safety review, during which additional safety devices were fitted.
In April 2006, Hitachi announced plans for a modern paternoster-style elevator with computer-controlled cars and normal elevator doors to alleviate safety concerns.[1][2] [3]
Popular culture
- David Lodge's comic novel, Changing Places, includes a chase scene involving a paternoster.
- An episode of The Prisoner features a paternoster.
- In one of the hospital scenes from the movie The Omen, the nun conversing with Robert Thorn leaves by way of a paternoster.
- The movie Night People, a 1954 cold war thriller set in post-war Berlin uses a paternoster for comic relief in a scene with Gregory Peck and Buddy Ebsen.
- In the novelization of Metropolis, worker 11811 operates the machine controlling a paternoster in the New Tower of Babel; inspired by the machine's name, he continuously mutters a disturbed version of the Lord's Prayer.
- In German writer Boris Meyn's historical mystery novel, Die rote Stadt (Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, 7th ed, 2007), lawyer Soren Bischop begins his detective career with the discovery of a bloody corpse in a paternoster. Meyn describes Bischop's reaction as he sees a paternoster for the first time. He observes the compartment disappear and reappear and once he spots the victim, jumps in to help, not knowing if he will have to climb the walls or stand on his head in order to come out the other side. The novel takes place in 1886. The paternoster - Vater unser - is in the newly opened Dovenhof building in Hamburg and is identified as the first in continental Europe. Meyn is an expert in art and architectural history.
Surviving paternosters
Oldest Paternoster in Austria by Anton Freissler, installed in 1911
A view from inside the above paternoster, showing the gap between floors
Numerous working paternosters are known to survive in Europe:
Austria
- City Hall of Vienna (at stairway 6 near the northern entrance)
- House of Industry, Schwarzenbergplatz 4, Vienna (oldest paternoster in Austria)
- Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour, Stubenring, Vienna
- Ministry of Defence, Rossauer Lände 1, Vienna
- Federal Computing Centre, Hintere Zollamtsstraße 4, Vienna
- Versicherungsanstalt für Eisenbahnen und Bergbau (Insurance institution of the railway and mining industries), Linke Wienzeile, Vienna
- The Ringturm (Wiener Städtische Versicherung / Vienna City Insurance Headquarters Building), Schottenring 30, Vienna
- KELAG Zentrale Klagenfurt, Arnulfplatz 2, 9020 Klagenfurt (Kärntner Elektrizitäts Aktiengesellschaft/Carinthian electricity supplier)
Belgium
- A functioning paternoster can be found at the Flemish Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, where it is used as an art display.
- Another paternoster can be found in a building of the Belgian Railways (NMBS) at the station Brussels-Zuid/Midi. It's still used daily.
Czech Republic
- The Komerční Banka building on Václavské náměstí in Prague. (This is a working office and not open to the general public, but it can be seen from the main lobby).
- The Municipality hall of Praha 1 (Vodičkova 18) has a working paternoster open to public combined with two classic lifts, one dedicated to baby trolleys and wheel chairs which are not allowed on the paternoster.
- New Townhall on Prokešovo náměstí in Ostrava, which are open to the public.
- A working paternoster can be found at the Faculty Of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology where it is being used by students and faculty staff.
- Trades Office (Živnostenský úřad), Malinovského Náměstí, Brno
- Faculty of Law, Charles University, Nám. Curieových 7, Prague
- Czech Technical University in Prague on Dejvice , Technická 2, Prague
- Office building of Spolek pro chemickou a hutní výrobu (Spolchemie) in Ústí nad Labem
- Within the Lucerna building in Prague, near the entrance from Štěpánská.
- Office building of KAUČUK, a.s. in Kralupy nad Vltavou near Prague.
- Bývalý Krajský úřad Zlín (yellow building)
- Ministry of Finance in Prague
- City Courthouse in 2 Prague on Slezska, open to the public (after passing through security)
- Health center Building on Smíchov, Kartouzská 6, Prague
- Ministry of Agriculture, Prague Florenc
- CEZ (Czech Energy Corp) Jungmanova Street, Prague
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prague
Denmark
- At the seat of the Danish parliament, Christiansborg, there is a working paternoster open to the public.
- Frederiksberg City Hall.
- At Danfoss Nordborg
- At the Axelborg building right across from the Tivoli main entrance
- At KVUC in Copenhagen
- At The Danish Dairy Board in Aarhus.
- At Vejle sygehus, The hospital in the city Vejle, there is a working paternoster, but not open to the public.
Finland
Germany
- Trostbrücke 1, in the Altstadt district of Hamburg (accessible during office hours - no groups and guided tours). A paternoster still in operation and open to general public is in the Bezirksamt Eimsbüttel (Grindelberg 62/66). Qype's office building at Deichstraße 29 also has a working Paternoster. Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße 16 (Publisher Axel Springer) offers at least one paternoster. Ballindamm 25 (shipping company Hapag Lloyd) still has one in use (not open to the public). Stadthausbrücke 8 (authorities ›Stadt-Entwicklungs-Behörde‹) uses a paternoster. Another one being in service can be found in Rathausstraße 7, entrance via Knochenhauertwiete, close to the town hall.
Steinhöft 11 (office block ›Slomanhaus‹).
- The IG Farben Building in Frankfurt-am-Main. The current occupants of the building, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, have pledged to maintain and preserve the famous paternosters "in perpetuity".
- Frankfurt - Fleming's Deluxe Hotel the paternoster provides service to six floors and the rooftop restaurant.
- Stuttgart - town hall, Literaturhaus, Universität Stuttgart, Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG (only for employees), Kaufhof (near main station (only for employees)), Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart-Feuerbach – only for employees), Arbeitsgericht
- Kiel Rathaus, or town hall. One of the best examples in Germany, it is 5 levels and it open to the public.
- Mannheim operations building of SCA (only for employees)
- Leverkusen, some Paternosters at Bayer AG's plant.
- In the Informatics and Mathematics faculty of Universität-Leipzig one can still be found, although the lift stays in operation only half of the day. As the faculty is being rebuilt by 2009, it is unlikely that the paternoster will be in service beyond that date.
- Dortmund - in the vestibule of the Signal-Versicherung building, situated by the junction between the Maerkische Strasse, and the Ostwall.
- Duisburg - both in the city hall and the internal revenue offices.
- Düsseldorf - in the older of the three Vodafone Global buildings. Currently out of use following an incident.
- Cologne - In the IHK (Industrie- und Handelskammer/Chamber of Industry and Trade) Building (Unter Sachsenhausen 10-26, D-50667 Cologne, Hansahochhaus (housing Saturn, Hansaring, Maybachstraße 115, D-50674 Cologne), WDR HQ (Wallrafplatz 1, D-50667 Cologne (only for employees); Kaufhof (Hohe Straße 41-53, D-50667), Kaufhof Corporate HQ (Leonhard-Tietz-Str., D-50667 Cologne (not open to the public); Volkshochschule Building (near Neumarkt, D-50667 Cologne); Former Felten & Guilleaume Corporate HQ (Schanzenstr. 28, D-51069 Cologne-Mülheim, accessible public office building, 5 Stories); former downtown Bezirksamt „Dischhaus“ (Brückenstr., D-50667 Cologne);Bezirksregierung Köln (Regional Government Center Cologne), Entrance: Zeughausstraße 8 (D-50667 Cologne)
- Berlin - Foreign Office, Werderscher Markt 1; Finance Ministry, Wilhelmstrasse 97; Agriculture Ministry, Wilhelmstrasse 54; Axel Springer Building, Axel Springer Strasse 65; Bayer Schering Pharma, AG; ART+COM, Kleiststrasse 23-26, 10787 Berlin; (52°30′4.99″N 13°20′39.72″E / 52.5013861°N 13.3443667°E / 52.5013861; 13.3443667), rbb (Radio Berlin Brandenburg) Masurenallee 8-14; Rathaus Schöneberg, John-F-Kennedy-Platz; Siemens AG, Siemens Damm (in several buildings).
- Bremen - Baumwollbörse, Wachtstraße 17-24 (near Town Hall); Haus des Reichs, Rudolf-Hilferding-Platz 1
- Wiesbaden - Two still in operation in buildings in the industrial park "Infra-Serv Kalle-Albert", Kasteler Straße 45, not accessible to the general public
- Munich - Kaufhof am Marienplatz had a paternoster working for the staff. The building was erected in 1972, so it is one of the last ones ever in Germany, and there is no reason it should not be in operation anymore. Also, the Polizeipraesidium - the main police station - in the Ettstrasse behind the Frauenkirche has a paternoster, which is accessible to the public. There are a couple more: In the Sueddeutsche Zeitung Verlagsgebaeude, in the Hochhaus an der Blumenstrasse and some more...
- Kassel - Headquarters of the Wintershall Holding AG, a subsidiary of BASF, not accessible to the general public
Hungary
Netherlands
- Paternosters are still in operation at the main office of the Corus Steelworks (formerly Hoogovens) in IJmuiden. This remarkable building (by Dudok, 1951) was restored in 1999.
- The office building of Ziggo at Spaarneplein in The Hague also still is using a Paternoster.
- The Grand Hotel Amrath Amsterdam has a working Paternoster. The building, the Scheepvaarthuis, was originally built as the headquarters for the six leading Amsterdam shipping companies in 1913.
- The Philips High Tech campus in Eindhoven had a paternoster in operation until 2006.
Norway
- Oslo: Landbrukets hus. The address is Schweigaards gate 34C
Poland
- Katowice: The Silesian Parliament at Jagiellonska 25 - 14 cabs,7 floors - Build by VEB Aufzugbau Leipzig
- Katowice: Office Building at Wita Stwosza 7 - 12 cabs,4 floors - Build by Flohr (1951 - Flohr-Otis,1989 - Otis)
- Wrocław: The Head Office of Bank Zachodni WBK at Rynek 9/11 - 20 cabs, 10 floors - the paternoster is still in use, yet it is only available to the Bank staff
Russia
Slovakia
- Ministry of Finance, Štefanovičova street, Bratislava
- Ministry of Agriculture, Dobrovičova street, Bratislava
- Ministry of Transport, posts and telecommunications, Nám. slobody, Bratislava
- Ministry of Interior, Pribinova street, Bratislava
- Office building at Popradska @ Moskovska trieda, Košice
- Technical University of Košice
- Chirana Export - Import, Krajinska street, Piešťany
- Slovakotex, Jilemnickeho street, Trenčín
Removed and replaced in 2007 with a modern elevator:
- The Railways of the Slovak Republic HQ, Klemensova street, Bratislava
U.S. Steel Košice Main Administrative Building
Switzerland
- Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève in Geneva (rarely in use; reserved for disasters)
- Vaucher Sport in Berne
Ukraine
- Regional State Administration Building in Uzhhorod
United Kingdom
- Paternoster lifts continue to operate in the Albert Sloman library at the University of Essex.
- The Arts Tower at the University of Sheffield contains a 38-car paternoster.[4] The building is a teaching block and not specifically open to the public, but the paternoster can be seen from the front door. It is the tallest in the UK.
- Attenborough Tower at the University of Leicester.
- A seven floor Paternoster survives in E block at the Ericsson (formerly Marconi) site in Beeston, Nottinghamshire. Employees were banned from going around the bottom or over the top following an incident a few years ago, when abuse caused by a group of visitors shaking the car had caused the car to get stuck at the bottom. The lift has been out of action since November 2007, and is unlikely to be put back into service.
- Rolls-Royce's seven storey tower block on Victory Road in Derby. - The building housing this is to be demolished before the end of 2009
- Staff in the main ward building of Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, have access to a paternoster in the main ward block. This is regularly maintained and is frequently used by staff instead of the nearby conventional lifts due to its speed in transferring between adjacent floors.
- The Dental Hospital in Birmingham has one which used to be for staff use, until maintenance costs forced its closure in 2007.
- In Scotland, a working paternoster serves seven floors of the Pontecorvo Building (former Department of Genetics) at the University of Glasgow. The building is not open to the public. A paternoster was installed there on construction, in 1966–67 (by architects Basil Spence & Partners) because each floor has a small area and it was anticipated that staff and students would make many short journeys. This expectation has been fulfilled, and the paternoster is considered to have been a very valuable device. Occupants of the Pontecorvo Building are currently being relocated to allow its demolition.
- There is a paternoster at Technology House, the headquarters of Boxclever, in Bedford, which was switched off on February 11, 2008 for health and safety reasons
- There is a paternoster at Thomson House, an office building at Birchwood Park near Warrington. Although covered over during re-refurbishments in 2005 due to maintenance costs, the paternoster is still operable if uncovered.
- There is a disused paternoster at Marks & Spencer in Liverpool. The lift was used until the late 1990s and was covered up due to health and safety concerns and rising maintenance costs. It is still fully in place behind access panels.
- There is also a disused paternoster in Marks & Spencer Pantheon, London, which is also covered up.
References
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