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You ready your footing as the empty doorless cabin comes into view. You take an awkward step into the boxy compartment and you're now on a Ferris wheel-like ride to your destination. It almost looks like a piece of fiction from a Wes Anderson film, but many Europeans know the surprisingly still-existent people-moving system all too well. Taking its name from its likeness to the loop of a rosary beed, the paternoster is a constantly moving passenger elevator comprised of a chain of open compartments. Two lifts stand side by side and service passengers looking to venture up or down to the next floor. Each cabin is generally only large enough for two people. However, because people can step on and off without stopping or the need to indicate the desired floor, the system is generally quite efficient — no need to wait for the elevator.
The invention dates back to 1868 Liverpool, and was later popularized throughout continental Europe, mostly in public buildings like government offices and universities. Although the system moves relatively slowly, usually at a rate of about one foot per second, there have been recorded accidents. It's not uncommon for passengers — particularly children and the elderly — to stumble or trip as they embark or disembark the lift. Safety concerns coupled with disability access regulations have led to the ban of the construction of new paternosters in many European countries, most notably Germany, where many of the grandfathered systems still operate to this day.
Reliability, nostalgia, and the romanticization of paternosters in German culture have spurred a grassroots movement to dissuade politicians from completely outlawing the unusual contraption. But with age and the cost of maintenance wearing down their usability and longevity, the paternoster seems to be slowly fading into obsolescence.
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