The Bad Schandau Elevator is a passenger truss-tower elevator built in 1904 at Bad Schandau, a spa town in Saxony, Germany. The height of the elevator is 52.6 metres (173 ft), in an art nouveau-style steel framework tower, which has a diameter of 5.2 metres (17 ft) at the ground and at the door such of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft). On the way upward it overcomes a difference in height of 47.76 metres (156.7 ft). It functions as an observation tower.

View of the elevator
Bad Schandau as seen from the elevator

Overview

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The elevator is driven by an electric motor, with the electricity generated by the Lichtenhain Waterfall. During the winter and emergencies, electricity was originally provided by a battery.

In 1921 the drive of the Bad Schandau Elevator were changed to three-phase alternating current, a crank handle was left for the emergency operation. During World War I, the facility was shut down. In 1950 a driving disk hoisting engine was introduced. In 1961 two additional anchoring wires were attached and in 1978 a new control. In the years 1989-1990 the plant, which was put under monument protection in 1954, was reconditioned.

The elevator is visible in some scenes of Wes Anderson's 2013 film The Grand Budapest Hotel.

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50°55′00″N 14°09′40″E / 50.91667°N 14.16111°E / 50.91667; 14.16111