Abstract: The invention relates to a rope-lowering device for lowering persons from a building or the like, comprising: an axle arranged to rotate about its longitudinal axis; a first reel connected or connectable to the axle; a second reel connected or connectable to the axle; a brake connected to the axle, which brake is configured to provide a braking force to the axle independent of a direction of rotation; a first rope connected to the first reel to be suspended from the first reel; and a second rope connected to the second reel to be suspended from the second reel, wherein the rope-lowering device is configured such that when both the first and second reels are connected to the axle, paying out one of the first and second rope will automatically cause the other one of the first and second rope to be hauled in.