Abraj al-Beit ( Arabic: أبراج البيت - “Tower of the House”) is a complex of high-rise buildings built in Mecca , Saudi Arabia . This is the largest building in the world by mass, it is also the tallest building in Saudi Arabia and the third building in the world after the Burj Khalifa and the Shanghai Tower , surpassing, along with the Burj Khalifa in the Muslim world, the Petronas towers ( Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ), which held the title of the tallest building in the world between 1998 and 2003; the tallest hotel in the world ; It occupies the 3rd line in the list of the largest buildings and structures in the world (by the area of premises) [2] .
| Abraj Al Beit Arab. ابراج البيت | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location |  Saudi Arabia : Mecca |
| Building | 2004-2012 |
| Height | |
| Antenna / Spire | 601 m |
| Roof | 530 m |
| Top floor | 558.7 m |
| Technical specifications | |
| Number of floors | 120 [1] |
| The area inside the building | 1,500,000 m² |
| Number of elevators | |
| Architect | Dar Al Handasah Architects |
Information and photos on Emporis | |
SkyscraperPage Page | |
Content
Feature
Abraj al-Beit Towers are the most visible buildings in Mecca due to their location. They are opposite (across the street) from the entrance to the al-Haram mosque , in the courtyard of which is the Kaaba , the main shrine of Islam . The tallest tower in the complex, which serves as a hotel, is designed to help provide housing for about 100 thousand of the more than five million pilgrims who annually visit Mecca to participate in the Hajj [3] .
The Abraj Al-Beit Towers have a four-story shopping arcade and a parking garage for more than 800 cars. Residential towers house apartments for permanent residents, while two helipads and a conference center serve business travelers.
At the top of the highest Royal Tower, a giant clock with a diameter of 43 meters (clockwise is 17 meters, minute - 22) is installed, located at an altitude of more than 400 meters above the ground. Four of their dials are set on four cardinal points. Giant watches are visible from anywhere in the city, and are the largest and highest altitude watches in the world [3] . In appearance, the clock tower remotely resembles Big Ben in London (only 6 times higher).
The highest of the skyscrapers, the Royal Clock Tower Hotel, is 601 meters high. The construction was completed in 2012 .
The towers bear the names of various persons, places and terms from Islamic history.
| External Images | |
|---|---|
| http://www.kudatotam.ru/upload/1/3986_2_s.jpg | |
Towers
| Tower name | Height (m) | Floors | Completion |
| Royal Clock Tower Hotel | 601 | 120 | 2012 |
| Hajar ( Hagar ) [4] | 260 | 48 | 2009 |
| Zamzam [5] | 260 | 48 | 2007 |
| Macam [6] | 250 | 45 | 2012 |
| Qibla [7] | 250 | 45 | 2011 |
| Safa [8] | 240 | 42 | 2009 |
| Marva [8] | 240 | 42 | 2009 |
Crescent
A 45-meter spire connects the watch with a gilded crescent. The eight-row spire has 160 powerful loudspeakers that can broadcast a call to prayer over seven kilometers away. This sound can be heard by all the inhabitants of Mecca. The innovative backlight system includes 44 signal lights, 21,000 flashing lights and 2,200,000 LEDs.
The crescent is the largest ever built. Its design does not contain any steel columns or beams forming the frame. Inside, it is divided into several office rooms, among which a small prayer room is the tallest in the world.
Crescent weight 107 tons. Diameter 23 meters. The crescent and its base are covered with golden mosaics on an area of 1050 m².
Notes
- ↑ CTBUH - Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel
- ↑ Makkah Royal Clock Tower ( skyscrapercenter.com)
- ↑ 1 2 Abraj al-Beit Towers - Ya-Ru.Ru
- ↑ Hajjar is the servant of Sarah , who became the concubine of the prophet Ibrahim ( Abraham ) and gave birth to his son Ishmael .
- ↑ Zamzam - a well in Mecca, located on the territory of the Al-Haram Mosque . According to legend, the angel Jibril indicated his whereabouts to Hajar ( Hagar ), the mother of Ismail .
- ↑ Spiritual state on the path of self-improvement, which is characterized by a certain stability. An analogue of the Christian Ladder .
- ↑ Qibla - direction towards the Kaaba . During prayer, Muslim believers should be directed face in this direction.
- ↑ 1 2 Safa and Marwa - the hills in the courtyard of the al-Haram mosque mentioned in the Qur'an . During the Hajj, pilgrims climb the Safa hill and turn to face the Kaaba, praying to Allah.