A climbing device is proposed having at least one climbing rail (14) for adjusting and/or climbing a scaffolding and/or a formwork and/or a platform, at least one climbing shoe (15, 16) being arranged on the climbing rail (14), at least one hydraulic cylinder (2) comprising at least one drive piston (10), arranged in a cylinder housing (12), and having a hydraulic fluid being provided for raising the climbing shoe (15, 16) and/or the climbing rail (14) and/or the scaffolding and/or the formwork and/or the platform, which at least partially avoids or at least reduces the disadvantages of the prior art. According to the invention this is achieved in that the hydraulic cylinder (2) is embodied as a hydraulic unit (1), the hydraulic unit (1) comprising at least one hydraulic tank (5) for storing hydraulic fluid, an electric motor (3) and a hydraulic pump (4) driven by the electric motor (3) for pressurizing the hydraulic fluid.