An elevator apparatus has first and second car suspending pulley devices mounted on a car. First and second counterweight suspending pulley devices are mounted on a counterweight. In the upper portion of the interior of a hoistway, there are arranged a car side return pulley device and a counterweight side return pulley device. A main rope suspending the car and the counterweight has first and second ends. The portion of the main rope extending from the first car suspending pulley device to the first end and the portion of the main rope extending from the second car suspending pulley device to a driving sheave are respectively arranged on opposite sides of a vertical plane passing centrally through the car.