Royal Clock Is Being Raised Into Position In Makkah- By: Sana Naseer Shaikh

The Abraj Al Bait Towers, when completed, will be located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It will be the biggest (not tallest) building in the world by mass, it will be the tallest building in Saudi Arabia and one of the tallest buildings in the world, surpassing the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia which held the title as world's tallest building between 1998 and 2003.

Country:                Saudi Arabia Abraj Al Bait Towers

Floors:                    76

Height(m):            485

Height(ft):            1591

Architect:              Dar Al Handasah Architects

Date Built:             2009

The King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project, which overlooks the Holy Mosque and has been chosen as the site of the world’s highest clock, is one of the world’s largest construction projects. The project was rated the largest architectural building in view of the total area, which exceeds 1.4 million square meters. Designed using Islamic architecture, it contains seven adjacent towers, with 6,000 housing units, and has over SR6 billion ($1.6 billion) in investments. With the construction of the clock, Saudi Arabia, specifically the Western Region, will be the site of two world landmarks, including the Jeddah Fountain, which is 261 meters high. The area of flowing water is 4,000 square meters. Three giant pumps are used to pump water at a speed of 320 km per hour and are 261 meters in height.

The Makkah Clock Royal Tower will have a luxurious 76-story hotel which is the focal point of the Abraj Al-Bait complex, part of the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project.

“Putting Makkah time in the face of Greenwich Mean Time, this is the goal,” said Mohammed Al-Arkubi, general manager of Royal Makkah Tower Hotel.

The giant clock of Makkah is all set to tick home a new time standard, as some scholars believe that it will be an ideal alternative to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).Many scholars are of the opinion that Makkah Time can provide the world an alternative to the GMT. These people have scientific arguments to back their contention, as Makkah is situated in the center of the world.

The Royal Clock is sitting atop the central tower in the Abraj Al-Bait Project, 50 meters opposite the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The clock will be visible from 17 km away at night and 11 to 12 km away during the day. A German-owned company, Premiere Composite Technologies, has designed the clock.

The Makkah Clock Tower will be a key destination for visitors from the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East.The $3-billion, seven-tower complex of hotels, called Abraj Al-Bayt Towers, will contain 3,000 rooms and suites, the majority of which will overlook the Grand Mosque, which Muslims face for daily prayers.

The Makkah Clock Tower when completed will be the tallest in the world — taller than the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, the Big Ben in London, Rajabai Clock Tower in Mumbai, and the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower in Milwaukee. Analysts say the projects after completion would change the face of the holy city and create better housing, transport and living facilities for the pilgrims.