One of the main attractions of the Chinese province of Hunan is the world's highest elevator Bailong. It is also called, and, also, the Chinese Eiffel Tower. This amazing building got into the famous Guinness Book of Records in three categories at once: 1 - the fastest and most powerful passenger elevator; 2 - the highest with an open view; 3 is the highest two-story elevator for excursions. This amazing glass elevator, located on a cliff of quartz sandstone, can lift up to 50 people to the observation deck within a minute, and 1380 people in an hour. It should be noted that the elevator has three glass containers fixed on the sides of a special body. In an hour, three elevators are able to lift (or lower) 4230 people to the observation deck, the average weight of which is 80 kg.
If you are afraid of a dizzying high-speed rise in the elevator, then you should stock up on strength and patience to overcome 999 stone steps, which will take you at least three hours. From the top of the cliff at an altitude of 330 meters, visitors can enjoy a picturesque view of the valley of quartz pillars and the incredibly beautiful scenery of Zhangjiajie National Park. The park area and Wulingyan area, where the elevator was built, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. 
The start of the construction of the lift was scheduled for 1999, but it immediately met with sharp dissatisfaction from environmentalists who opposed cutting down the rock in the protected area. Construction could entail the destruction and disappearance of the World Heritage Site. Despite their resistance, the project was approved. Tunnels and shafts were cut through the rocks to ensure the evacuation of people in the event of an accident and other unforeseen circumstances. Almost $20 million was spent on the construction of the elevator. In 2002, the construction was successfully completed, the grand opening of this unique structure took place.
True, the elevator was soon closed and opened in 2003 after significant technical improvements. The lift system uses the latest energy-saving technology and is equipped with its own earthquake sensors. At the slightest danger, three elevators instantly evacuate tourists from above. Equipped with elevators and special controllers that control the weight of the cabin with passengers up to grams. All these security measures are extremely important, as more than five million people visit the Hundred Dragon Elevator every year. 
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An elevator is the most common structure for us, we use it daily in residential skyscrapers, in office buildings, in multi-storey shopping and entertainment centers. But in the world, in addition to ordinary lifts, there are unusual miracles - elevators, they can have a bizarre incredible shape or be located in the mountains, under water. In this article, you can find out where the most amazing and unusual elevators are located. We will tell you about the Aquarium Elevator, the Mountain Elevator and the Transparent Floor Elevator.
The most unusual and interesting elevator is located in Germany in the center of Berlin. This miracle elevator - aquarium "AquaDom" (AquaDom) was installed in 2003 in the lobby of the five-star hotel Radisson Blu. It is a huge aquarium, inside of which there is an elevator.
Visitors to the hotel, taking the elevator, can watch colorful fish. More than 2,000 fish live in the aquarium, moreover, different species living at different depths. You can admire not only fish, but also the beauty of the underwater world, basalt rocks with many caves, cracks, algae and even divers who periodically clean the aquarium and feed the fish.
The height of this unusual structure is more than 25 meters, the outer diameter is 11 meters, and the height of the glass walls of the aquarium is 16 meters, the wall thickness is from 16 to 22 centimeters, the total weight of the glass is 150 tons. The aquarium consists of two transparent cylinders nested one inside the other, they contain almost a million tons of water, the bottom of the aquarium stands on a giant leg, at a height of 9 meters from the floor.
In the center is an elevator shaft with a transparent two-story cabin, which can accommodate 30 people at the same time. The lift slowly lifts visitors through the aquarium to an observation deck covered with a large glass dome. The water in the aquarium is always clear, thanks to the purification complex, which is hidden in the base of the building.
Another unusual elevator is located in China, it is considered the highest elevator in the world, built in the mountains. This is an elevator called "Bailong Elevator", translated from Chinese - the elevator of a hundred Dragons.
It is built in Zhangjiajie National Park on a mountainside and takes tourists to the top of the cliff, to a height of 330 meters in two-story glass cabins. One cabin accommodates 50 passengers at once. In just a few minutes, the elevator takes tourists to the observation deck, from which the unforgettable beauty of the park-reserve opens.
The construction of this grandiose lift began in 1999, and in 2002 the Wulingian area where the lift is located was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
More than 5 million people visit Hunan every year, and the number of tourists who want to ride this unusual elevator and enjoy the unearthly beauty of the reserve is increasing every year. Zhangjiajie National Park is famous for its Wulingyuan quartzite cliffs, which reach a height of 800 meters, and the highest peaks reach a height of more than 3 km above sea level. These mountains are a spectacle of unprecedented beauty - huge stone pillars with sharp peaks rise above the tropical forest, and waterfalls descend from the peaks. There are also many caves in the mountains, among them the largest Huanglong cave, which can simultaneously accommodate ten thousand people. More than 500 species of animals live on the territory of the reserve, including monkeys, civets, salamanders, and many species of birds. Rare plants such as gingo biloba, mahogany, pigeon tree grow here.
Elevator with transparent floor
Another interesting elevator is located in New Zealand, it was built in the Sky Tower skyscraper in Auckland. What is interesting about this elevator? The fact is that part of the floor of this elevator is transparent and the passenger can observe how quickly it leaves the ground or, conversely, falls to the ground at a great speed from a height of 328 meters.
Incredible Facts
Modern elevators are not just boring metal boxes for carrying passengers and cargo.
Many of them are a kind of attraction for tourists, due to their uniqueness and extraordinary appearance.
Here is a collection of the world's most unusual elevators, including tallest and fastest in the world that will give you a lasting impression.
1. Passenger lift in the aquarium AquaDom, Germany
The AquaDom in Berlin, Germany is a cylindrical acrylic glass aquarium with an elevator built into it. It is located in the Radisson SAS Hotel in the Mite area.
The diameter of the aquarium is more than 11 meters, and the elevator is located right in the middle of this 25 meter structure. AquaDom is filled with 900,000 liters of sea water, where more than 1,500 fish of 50 different species swim. It takes about 8 kilograms of food per day and 3-4 experienced drivers to feed the inhabitants of the aquarium.
2. Ship lift Falkirk Wheel, Scotland
The Falkirk Wheel carries ships between the Union and Fort Clyde canals. Named after a nearby town in Scotland, it opened in 2002 and is the only rotating ship lift in the world.
The height difference between the two channels is 24 meters, which corresponds to an 8-storey building. On opposite sides of the wheel there are caissons - recesses filled with water, into which ships swim, rotating at the same speed as the wheel itself, but in the opposite direction. Wheel rotates 180 degrees moving ships from top to bottom which takes several minutes.
3. Skyview lift, Sweden
SkyView is a gondola lift located on the south side of the Globe Arena, the largest spherical structure in the world, located in the capital of Sweden, Stockholm.
Globen Arena is made in the form of a huge white ball with a diameter of 110 and a height of 85 meters. Elevator with a length of 100 meters consists of two spherical cabins that lift visitors to the very top of the building, giving them an unforgettable view of the city.
4. Tallest outdoor lift Hammetschwand, Switzerland
Elevator Hammetschwand (Hammetschwand) is the tallest outdoor elevator in Europe which is located in Switzerland. It connects a spectacular rocky path to the viewpoint on the Bürgenstock mountain, which overlooks Lake Lucerne.
Elevator lifts passengers to a height of 153 meters to the top of Hammetschwand in less than a minute. It was built in 1903 and updated in 1935. This elevator was also used by Agent 007 James Bond during the filming of the film "Goldfinger".
5. The highest speed elevator in Bailong, China
Bailong, also known as the "Hundred Dragon Elevator", is a glass elevator built on the side of the huge Zhangjiajie Mountain, which reaches a height of 330 meters.
He is considered the tallest and heaviest outdoor elevator in the world. It was opened in 2002 and can accommodate up to 50 people or 1380 per hour. The elevator cuts the time to the top down to one minute, offering amazing views of the massive sandstone pillars.
6. Panoramic elevator at the Gate of the West, USA
One of the amazing sights of the city of St. Louis in Missouri is the memorial "Gateway of the West".
To get to the top of the arch, passengers enter an egg-shaped booth with 5 seats. A composition of 8 such booths that maintain the desired level, periodically rotating every 5 degrees, lifts passengers to the top of a curved arch where the observation deck is located.
The whole trip takes about 4 minutes up and three minutes down. There are narrow glass panels on the doors of the booths that allow visitors to admire the structure of the arch.
7. Elevador de Santa Justa, Portugal
Elevador de Santa Justa or, as it is also called Elevator do Carmo, is located in Lisbon, connecting the lower street of the Baixa district (Baixa) and the upper square of Largo do Carmo (Largo do Carmo).
Since 1901, when it was built, the elevator has become a tourist attraction in the capital of Portugal, remaining the only urban vertical elevator. At the top there is a kiosk and an observation deck with a panoramic view of the city. The height of the neo-Gothic style elevator is 45 meters. Each booth can accommodate 20-25 people.
8. Lacerda lift, Brazil
The Lacerda lift is located in the city of Salvador in the Brazilian state of Bahia. An elevator connects the Lower City (Cidade Baixa) with the Upper City (Cidade Alta), carrying more than 30,000 passengers.
The elevator ride, which costs 5 centavos, lasts only 30 seconds, and lift height reaches 72 meters. Like the ski lift in Lisbon, this amazing structure transports people from one level of the city to another, while also offering a beautiful view of the Gulf coast.
9. The fastest elevator in Taipei 101, Taiwan
The fastest elevator in the world was installed in the famous skyscraper Taipei 101. Taipei 101 is a 101-story building with a height of 509 meters, inside which there are 67 elevators, including two elevators that rise from the 5th to the 89th floor in 37 seconds.
Elevators go up at speed 16.8 meters per second, ahead of the former record holder - elevators in the Yokohama tower in Japan, which develop a speed of 12.5 m / s.
10. Hydraulic lift at the Louvre
Not many people know that the Louvre Museum, which houses the greatest works of art in history, is one of the most modern and futuristic elevators in the world.
This open-top, hydraulically operated elevator silently and discreetly moves visitors around the museum, as if growing out of the floor.
11. The scariest elevator in Sky Tower, New Zealand
This elevator, located in the Auckland Radio Tower in New Zealand, is not for those who are afraid of heights. Each of the glass-floored elevators lifts visitors to a height of 328 meters 70-story building every 15 minutes.
The elevator is moving at a speed 18 km per hour, and the trip itself lasts 40 seconds. For thrill-seekers, the sight of a rapidly falling elevator under your feet will be unforgettable.
If you want extreme sports and vivid impressions, but you can’t get to the amusement park, then you can get by with an elevator. Just not quite ordinary. There are a lot of original and rather bold lifting structures in the world, but we will look at the most interesting ones.
These are not ordinary elevators, but real attractions.
About him already. It's simple the highest elevator in the world in an open area, which is officially confirmed to be located in Zhangjiajie Park in Hunan Province, China. The Bailong Elevator is built along a massive rock and lifts tourists to a height of 362 meters. For the first few seconds, it moves underground, and then in a minute and a half it lifts passengers to the top of the mountain. Thrills are guaranteed.
The elevator itself consists of three two-story cabins, whose load capacity is 3750 kilograms. One cabin can lift or lower 48-50 passengers at a time.
Seismic sensors are also installed on the elevator, when triggered, the elevators must evacuate all people down in a short time. The queue for the elevator can be up to four hours.
A very original approach to the architecture of the elevator came up in Berlin. In the lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel, a transparent lift is built into a cylindrical aquarium. During the ascent, visitors can admire a 360-degree panorama.
There are 97 different types of fish in the aquarium, and there are about 1500 "marine" inhabitants there.
In Stockholm, everyone can admire the beautiful views of the city from the cockpit of a glass gondola that moves on the roof of the largest spherical structure in the world, the Globe Arena.
The highest point of the "carousel" is located at an altitude of 130 meters above sea level.
SkyView consists of two gondolas, each of which can accommodate up to 16 people, which move along two parallel paths.
The Lloyd Building in London is also known as the "Inside Out House".
Its architects placed all utilities, stairs and elevators outside.
There are 12 glass elevators on the outer sides of the building, allowing you to enjoy views of the city.
Another record holder on our list. The Hammetschwand elevator, which is located in the Alpine resort of Bürgenstock in Switzerland, is considered the tallest outdoor lift in Europe.
The Bailong Elevator, located in Zhangjiajie National Park in China, is a unique engineering structure. In just a minute, it lifts tourists to a height of 360 meters - to one of the most picturesque observation platforms of the reserve. Transparent two-story cabins can accommodate up to 50 people (the carrying capacity of each is up to 3750 kilograms). Bailong, built on a sheer cliff, is considered the highest and fastest open passenger elevator in the world. The lift is included in the Guinness Book of Records.
Construction of the Bailong Heavy Duty Elevator began in 1999 - and was completed three years later. During its construction, the lifting mechanism was built directly into the rocks of quartz sandstone. The engineers also fitted the cabins with earthquake sensors. The cost of such a large-scale project in the Zhangjiajie National Park amounted to $18 million.
You can visit Zhangjiajie National Park at any time of the year. However, when planning a trip to the reserve, be sure to lay an extra day in case of bad weather. The climate in the region is humid tropical. In summer, the air temperature ranges from +25°C to +29°C. In winter, the air warms up to +4°C. From June to August, strong fogs (visibility up to 10 meters) and haze (up to 200 meters) are possible in Zhangjiajie. It rains quite often in autumn.
Choose to visit the days from Monday to Friday and do not plan to visit the Zhangjiajie Nature Reserve on national holidays. On peak dates, tens of thousands of Chinese tourists visit the park. For the same reason, it is better to avoid July, August, as well as the first weeks of May and October.
If you are planning a multi-day visit to the national park, then you can spend the night either in the city of the same name; or in a village located at the southern entrance to the reserve, which is also called Zhangjiajie; or in the tourist village at the western entrance; or in the park.
At the same time, it is worth considering the pros and cons of each option: when spending the night in the city of Zhangjiajie, you will have to adapt to the bus schedule, or take a taxi - 150-200 yuan one way. Spending the night in the village of Zhangjiajie will allow you to see only the southern part of the park: buses do not go to the central part of the reserve from here. And when choosing the village of Wulinyuan, it is worth booking accommodation in advance: this is the most popular place for overnight stays among Chinese tourists.
You can also spend the night directly on the territory of the Zhangjiajie Nature Reserve - tourist camps with a basic set of amenities are located here. In this case, it is worth taking care of warm clothes in advance - even in summer, as well as towels, toilet paper and products that can be stored for a long time. In the camps, you can only buy traditional Chinese food, which is difficult for European stomachs to digest.
Despite the great popularity of Zhangjiajie Park among foreign tourists, the workers of the reserve practically do not speak English. There are few guides who speak foreign languages in the park. Their services are best ordered in advance - for example, by writing to the hotel where you plan to stay. Almost all signs and maps on the territory of the national park are only in Chinese.
In addition to the Zhangjiajie Nature Reserve, in Hunan province, you can also visit the geological parks of Soxiyu, Tianzishan and Yangjiajie. All of them are located in the Wulingyuan district.
Tickets
It is almost impossible to see the Zhangjiajie Nature Reserve in a day. Therefore, it is better to purchase tickets to the national park for several days at once. Subscriptions are sold at all ticket offices. The cost is about 245 yuan for a three-day ticket per person. The price of subscriptions depends on the number of days and the season.
The price of entrance tickets includes an unlimited transfer on buses inside the park. However, you will have to pay for the cable cars and the Bailong elevator - 60-80 yuan for the lift.
How to get there
The nearest airport to Zhangjiajie National Park is located 33 kilometers away from the city of the same name. You can get to Zhangjiajie by plane from Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and other major cities in China.
You can get to the Zhangjiajie Nature Reserve by regular buses. They depart from the bus station in downtown Zhangjiajie; the schedule is tied to the flight schedule. Travel time is about an hour. The fare is 12 yuan. A taxi from the airport to the national park will cost about 200 yuan.
The Bailong Elevator is located in the central part of the Zhangjiajie Nature Reserve, at the end of the Golden Whip Tourist Route. The lower and upper points of the lift can be reached by buses running inside the park.
Location
The Bailong Elevator is located in Zhangjiajie National Park, Wulingyuan District, in the northwest of Hunan Province, China.
