A lifting device for raising and lowering a load comprises in a known manner a lifting drum that can be driven in both directions of rotation, as well as at least one belt serving as traction mechanism that is secured to one end of the lifting drum and carries at the other end a holding device for the load. The belt can be wound on the lifting drum by rotation of the latter, in such a way that the windings come to lie on top of one another. In order to reduce repeated mechanical stress reversals at the step that is formed by the end of the belt secured to the circumferential wall of the lifting drum, at least one spacing element is arranged on the circumferential wall of the lifting drum, against which element rests the first winding of the belt.