Abraj Al Bait
Abraj Al Bait — also known as the Mecca Royal Clock Tower — is a government-owned complex of seven skyscraper towers rising approximately 300 metres from the Great Mosque of Mecca, the holiest site in Islam. Built between 2002 and 2012 as part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project, the complex was designed to provide accommodation and services for millions of pilgrims performing Hajj and Umrah each year. The main tower reaches 607 metres, making it the fourth-tallest building in the world, and carries the largest clock faces on earth — each 43 metres in diameter and visible from 25 kilometres away.
At a glance
- Type
- Mixed-use skyscraper complex (hotel, residential, retail, religious)
- Period
- Construction 2002–2011; opened 2012
- Style
- Contemporary Islamic architecture
- Location
- Ajyad Street, Mecca (Makkah), Saudi Arabia
- Coordinates
- 21.4243° N, 39.8246° E
- Height
- 607 m (1,991 ft) — main tower; fourth tallest building in the world
- Architects
- SL Rasch GmbH; Dar Al-Handasah; Saudi Binladin Group (main contractor)
- Cost
- USD 15 billion
Overview
Abraj Al Bait dominates the skyline of Mecca and is visible to pilgrims as they perform the Tawaf circumambulation of the Kaaba in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque directly below. The complex comprises seven towers of varying heights united by a shared podium containing a shopping mall and prayer facilities. The Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower, the tallest of the seven, houses a Fairmont five-star hotel in its upper floors and culminates in an illuminated crescent and clock drum near its summit. The project was commissioned by the Saudi government’s King Abdulaziz Endowment to modernise the infrastructure surrounding the Masjid al-Haram for the 21st century.
History
The site of the Abraj Al Bait complex was previously occupied by the 18th-century Ajyad Fortress, a historic Ottoman-era structure that was demolished in 2002 to make way for construction, a decision that drew protests from the Turkish government and UNESCO. Construction of the towers proceeded through the 2000s under the Saudi Binladin Group and was substantially complete by 2011. The complex officially opened in 2012. The clock faces were illuminated for the first time ahead of Ramadan 2012, their 2-million LED light arrays visible across the Meccan valley at night.
What you see
The seven towers rise from a common podium base in a stepped formation, with the main clock tower commanding the centre. The four clock faces near the summit — each 43 metres across — are framed by a decorative drum and topped by a crescent-shaped spire containing a prayer room and loudspeakers that broadcast the call to prayer across 160 square kilometres. The Jewel observation deck at 484 metres offers a panoramic view of the Grand Mosque and the city of Mecca. The lower floors of the podium contain one of the largest shopping malls in Saudi Arabia, serving the millions of pilgrims who stay in the surrounding hotels each year.
Cultural significance
Abraj Al Bait is the most visible symbol of the transformation of Mecca into a modern metropolis capable of receiving over two million pilgrims simultaneously during Hajj. It represents both the ambition and the controversy of contemporary Islamic heritage management: the complex dramatically increases pilgrim capacity and comfort while permanently altering the historic skyline of the world’s holiest city. The demolition of Ajyad Fortress to make way for the towers sparked an ongoing global debate about the preservation of pre-Islamic and early-Islamic heritage in Mecca.
Practical information
- Address
- Ajyad Street, Mecca (Makkah) 24231, Saudi Arabia
- Access
- Mecca is accessible only to Muslims; non-Muslim visitors are not permitted to enter the city
- Hotel access
- Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower and other hotels within the complex require standard reservation
- Observation deck
- Check official Abraj Al Bait website for current admission and hours
Getting there
The complex is located immediately adjacent to the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in central Mecca. Pilgrims and visitors arriving at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah can reach Mecca by Haramain High Speed Railway (Al Haramain Express) to Mecca station, then by taxi or shuttle service. Buses and the Mecca Metro (Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro) also serve the central area around the Grand Mosque.