Why is ‘paternoster lift’ trending on TikTok?
A LIFT at the University of Essex has gone viral for its very rare characteristics.
Here, we look at why so many people have taken notice of this elevator and how it works.
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Why is ‘paternoster lift’ trending?
A paternoster lift at the University of Essex has attracted a lot of attention online after they included a video of it on their TikTok account.
The lift built in 1967, appears in videos where students demonstrate how it works.
This includes a response video where a student demonstrates how you are able to get in and out of it.
Jonathan White, who is director of library and cultural services at the university, said he was very pleased with the large response.
She said: “To see videos of the lift go viral on TikTok is fantastic and shows how genuinely intrigued and fascinated people from across the world are by it.”
What is the Paternoster lift?
A paternoster lift is a chain of open compartments that work in a loop.
The name of the system comes from its resemblance to rosary prayer beads and is Latin for Our Father, which is the first two words of The Lord’s Prayer.
The system doesn’t stop moving, and passengers can step on and off the elevator when they like.
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One side goes up, the other side goes down.
If a person chose to stay in one of the compartments, they would go round in a loop and end up on the other side of the lift shaft.
The one at the University of Essex is one of only three left in operation in the UK.
This type of lift is rare nowadays, as the construction of new ones is banned in many countries.
The largest example of a paternoster lift in the UK is located at the University of Sheffield.
The arts tower in which the lift is housed is the largest university owned building in the UK.
The other example of this lift in Britain is at Northwick Park Hospital in London.