The Tsar who refused to ride in an elevator (or how this invention put an end to old hierarchies in order to create new ones)
The irruption of these mechanical "vertical vehicles" blew up the protocols because it called into question the system of hierarchies.
The modern elevator, made possible by Elisha Otis' safety brake, is only about a century and a half old. Without it, cities would be very different, with no skyscrapers, communication towers, or construction cranes. The invention has become a part of daily life, with people using it to travel between floors, often taking it for granted.
However, when elevators were first introduced, many people were hesitant to use them, with some, like Tsar Nicholas II, even seeing them as a threat to their status. In ancient Roman times, some buildings had primitive elevators powered by animals.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
