A winding device for winding and unwinding a flexible line like a cable, hose or the like, including a frame which can be stationarily mounted; a hollow-cylindrical winding drum which is mounted to the frame rotatably about an axis of rotation, forms an internal space and has an outside on to and from which a line can be wound and unwound; an inner rotary guide for interruption-free guidance of a line from a fixed point which is fixed with respect to the frame to a rotary point which is rotationally fixed to the winding drum and is relatively rotatable about the axis of rotation with respect to the fixed point, wherein the rotary guide between the fixed point and the rotary point predetermines a line path with two oppositely directed windings (18A, 18B) with a first winding direction about the axis of rotation, a direction-changing means which is rotatable about the axis of rotation and in which the line is changed over from the one winding into the other winding and a second winding direction in opposite relationship to the first winding direction; wherein the inner rotary guide is accommodated at least predominantly and preferably completely in the internal space of the winding drum; characterised in that the winding drum has a first opening at a first end, on the side of which the rotary point of the inner rotary guide is provided, which opening opens out at the end in the axial direction with respect to the axis of rotation, and that provided at the opposite second end is a holding portion which is non-rotatably connected to the frame and which has a second opening which opens outwardly in a radial plane perpendicularly to the axis of rotation so that a line to be wound can be laid from the outside through the first opening to the rotary point in the inner rotary guide, in the inner rotary guide and from the fixed point thereof through the second opening and vice-versa. a frame which can be stationarily mounted; a hollow-cylindrical winding drum which is mounted to the frame rotatably about an axis of rotation, forms an internal space and has an outside on to and from which a line can be wound and unwound; an inner rotary guide for interruption-free guidance of a line from a fixed point which is fixed with respect to the frame to a rotary point which is rotationally fixed to the winding drum and is relatively rotatable about the axis of rotation with respect to the fixed point, wherein the rotary guide between the fixed point and the rotary point predetermines a line path with two oppositely directed windings (18A, 18B) with a first winding direction about the axis of rotation, a direction-changing means which is rotatable about the axis of rotation and in which the line is changed over from the one winding into the other winding and a second winding direction in opposite relationship to the first winding direction; wherein the inner rotary guide is accommodated at least predominantly and preferably completely in the internal space of the winding drum; characterised in that the winding drum has a first opening at a first end, on the side of which the rotary point of the inner rotary guide is provided, which opening opens out at the end in the axial direction with respect to the axis of rotation, and that provided at the opposite second end is a holding portion which is non-rotatably connected to the frame and which has a second opening which opens outwardly in a radial plane perpendicularly to the axis of rotation so that a line to be wound can be laid from the outside through the first opening to the rotary point in the inner rotary guide, in the inner rotary guide and from the fixed point thereof through the second opening and vice-versa.