How do revolving restaurants work?
In a revolving restaurant, the building stays stationary and only the diners move. They are usually built in tower blocks with curved glass windows so that customers can appreciate the view from every angle. The circular floor acts like a turntable, with an electric motor and wheels underneath that enable it to slowly rotate. ‘Slowly’ is the operative word – a full rotation usually takes up to an hour to prevent motion sickness. A column in the centre stays still so that plumbing, elevators and other features that cannot rotate can be fitted here. Revolving restaurants seem like a novel idea, but archaeologists in Rome uncovered the remains of a rotating floor in a palace built for Emperor Nero, who reigned from 54 to 68 CE.