This invention provides a lifting apparatus which holds a work by clamping the work vertically, and lifts the work. The lifting apparatus includes upper and lower clamping units, a guide mechanism which guides lifting movements of the upper and lower clamping units, a driving mechanism which drives the lower clamping unit to lift along the guide mechanism, and a stopper which is set so that the upper clamping unit is stopped before the lower clamping unit reaches a downward movement lower limit during the downward movement of the units, and which defines a downward movement lower limit of the upper clamping unit.