'Towers of the House'), is a government-owned complex of seven skyscraper hotels with the main tower being classified as a mega-skyscraper in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
These towers are part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project that aims to modernize the city in catering to its pilgrims.
The complex was built after the demolition of the Ajyad Fortress, the 18th-century Ottoman citadel on top of a hill overlooking the Grand Mosque.
[11] The destruction of the historically significant site in 2002 by the Saudi government sparked an outcry and a strong reaction from Turkey.
The site of the complex is across the piazza to the south from the main entrance (King Abdul-Aziz Gate) to the Masjid al Haram mosque, which houses the Kaaba.
Each of the clock's four faces measures 43 m (141 ft) in diameter and are illuminated by 2 million LED lights, with four oriented edges, just above the clock alongside huge Arabic script reading: "God is [the] greatest" on the north and south faces and on the west and east "There is no god but Allah.
The same as the Saudi flag, fitted at the top of the clock, flash to signal Islam's five-time daily prayers.
On special occasions such as new year, 21,000 green and white xenon bulbs and LED lamps during the call to the five prayers times of the day.
The spire has an eight-story glass-covered base (The Jewel) which belongs to a scientific center having its own small exhibition, another observation deck at 484 m (1,587.93 ft).
Above from The Jewel, the spire has only technical installations for sound, light, and other infrastructure and eventually the last viewing deck and the crescent above it.
[20] According to eyewitness reports, the blaze erupted shortly after midnight, and spread rapidly because of wood used for construction stored in the premises.
Eyewitnesses said the fire broke out soon after Asr prayer while some workers in the building were welding iron rods on wooden scaffoldings.
[22] The development has been criticized by The Guardian for having "transformed a type of architecture that evolved from a dense urban grain of low-rise courtyards and narrow streets into ... an endlessly repeatable pattern for the decoration of standardized [concrete] slab(s)".
Top-left: | Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower |
Bottom-left: | Allen-Bradley Clock Tower (previous record holder) |
Middle: | Abraj Al Bait |
Top-right: | Big Ben Clock Tower |
Bottom-right: | Kremlin Clock |