The first pillar is the proclamation of faith, which is displayed on the side panels of the tower. Four of the five pillars of the Islamic faith are regulated by time – prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and the Hajj. The element of time is of great significance to Muslims. It is the highest occupied man-made space in the world. The golden crescent that crowns the entire structure contains a prayer room for the royal family and dignitaries. In addition to the clock’s precision mechanisms, inside the spire are also an astrological observatory, exhibition space, and observation deck. Their work began 347 meters above the ground in a structure of steel weighing 12,000 tons. The engineers at the German firm SL Rasch, who had earlier worked on other aspects of accommodating an ever-increasing number of pilgrims to Makkah, were asked to create the world’s largest clock atop the building already under construction. The Makkah Clock Tower was a separate commission from the high-rise hotel below. As part of the King Abdullah Al Saud Endowment for the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques, the Makkah Clock Tower is the centerpiece of the Abraj Al Bait Complex of seven luxury hotels, including the Fairmont Hotel, housed within the tower that rises 601 meters to the tip of the crescent spire, and overlooks the Holy Mosque for Muslims performing Umrah and Hajj.įilm above is 14 minutes of excerpts from a documentary produced by SL Rasch.ĭirected by Taner Karaarslan, Bensalem Bouabdallah. Great height is generally motivated by a desire for attention, but the building that is currently the third tallest on the planet is little known outside the Muslim world. Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, completed 2012Īrchitect of the hotel: Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners)Īrchitect and Structural Engineer of the Clock Tower: SL Rasch
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