2007-09-10 18:10:36 · 22 answers · asked by rej 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Silly superstitions, some do, some don't, and it is not just buildings, ships also don't necessarily have a 13th cabin, it goes 12 then 12A or 12B, then 14....
Here are some links on the #13 and superstitions...
http://www.chevroncars.com/learn/arts-culture/superstitions
http://www.shyamsundergupta.com/unlucky13.htm
http://globalpsychics.com/amusing-you/superstition/friday-13th.shtml
Blessed Be... )O(
2007-09-14 16:56:11 · answer #1 · answered by Bunge 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While some high-rises skip the allegedly unlucky floor, many buildings aren't so superstitious.
The Empire State Building, one of the most famous buildings in the world, has a 13th floor. And, according to its official site, the whole thing is available to lease.
An article from USA Today explains that Fairmont hotels in Acapulco, Quebec City, and Vancouver don't have a 13th floor. Interestingly, Fairmont hotels in other cities do. The article goes on to mention that decisions regarding whether or not a building has a 13th floor usually rest with the building contractor.
The photo-sharing site Flickr offers a few photos of elevators without a button for the 13th floor. However, the site also has plenty of pictures of elevators with a 13th floor button.
I don't have all the figures, but I suspect that more buildings have a 13th floor than don't. Why? Because not all cultures consider the number 13 to be unlucky. Wikipedia, a great resource but one to be taken with a grain of salt, mentions that "new buildings in some parts of China omit the fourth, fourteenth, twenty-fourth, etc. floors, as the word 'four' sounds like "death" in Mandarin." Spoooooky.
2007-09-10 18:17:48 · answer #2 · answered by Mhei 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probably because 13 has been considered an unlucky number with stories dating back in time that state that Eve first had a taste of the apple on the 13th. But the real reason is that the Knights Templar were arrested on October 13 1307 due to their beliefs (which just happened to be a Friday) and killed. So 13 has been given a really bad rap and many hotels refuse to number a floor or give a room the 13 number because people are superstitious and some would refuse to stay in a hotel that had either.
2007-09-10 18:26:14 · answer #3 · answered by Diane B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One version of the explanation is that bakers in medieval times could be punished extremely for short count on small baked goods, so they added a 13th roll or cookie to guarantee the count - costing them money so burdening with 13 was bad.
Another is that Judas was 13th at the table.
2007-09-10 18:19:03 · answer #4 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A long time ago people would refuse to stay on the thirteenth floor because of bad luck. So they just started taking the number thirteen out all together so they could sell all the rooms. But that is dumb in the long run because now people notice. True story!
2007-09-10 18:22:36 · answer #5 · answered by aimeeme_g 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every building that I've been to that was sufficiently tall had a 13th floor.
2007-09-11 02:24:33 · answer #6 · answered by Hoosier Daddy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a superstition about the number 13. But you gotta' love the fact that big money chooses to respect a superstition rather than risk the consequences of ignoring it.
2007-09-10 18:20:36 · answer #7 · answered by nortonsuzanne 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think they should just have a 15th floor so it will be the 14th instead of the 14th being the 13th. Or just live underground.
2007-09-10 18:16:33 · answer #8 · answered by Davestros 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thirteen is an unlucky number, so many people will not book
a room on the thirteenth floor, so they go from 12 to 14. <}:-})
2007-09-10 18:16:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In South Korea, 4 is an unhealthy number and there are seldom fourth floors. Explore your country traditions.
2007-09-10 18:15:02 · answer #10 · answered by Never Winning a Best Answer 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋