Mecca Clock Tower : The Most Expensive Skyscraper Ever Built

To accommodate the ever-increasing influx of pilgrims, the Saudi government decided in the early 2000s to build numerous hotels in Mecca. At 601 meters, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower is the tallest and most imposing of them all.

This immense tower, which resembles a "giant Big Ben", is the centerpiece of this vast complex of 7 towers, with a capacity of 65,000 people. Estimated at $15 billion, the Abraj Al Bait Towers complex is also the world's most expensive skyscraper complex, ahead of the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore ($5 billion).

To finish on an even more impressive note, the Mecca Tower also boasts the world's largest and tallest clock, at 425 meters above sea level.

With its giant 40-meter dial, it can tell the time in a radius of 11 km during the day and up to 17 km at night. But I won't tell you any more... if you want all the details, I'll let you discover them in this video. Enjoy your discovery!

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#construction #architecture #mecca #makkahroyalclocktower #grandmosque

00:00 Introduction
00:25 Makkah Royal Clock Tower: Mecca's tallest skyscraper
01:15 Increasing numbers of pilgrims
02:20 Abraj Al Bait: an impressive complex resembling a giant Big Ben
02:41 The clock of all records
03:35 The largest and most expensive skyscraper complex ever built
04:31 Origins of the design
05:33 Controversies surrounding its construction
06:12 A modern symbol of Islam

2023 Looking 4 (En) | All rights reserved.

[LookingEn]

I hope this video has taught you some interesting anecdotes! What's more, in order to improve my English, could you tell me if there are any words I've mispronounced that you haven't understood? Thank you in advance for your help 🙏

[koantao]

Having been there before its construction and a couple of times afterwards as a guest of its hotels, I confirm that it is truly impressive. From afar, it indicates the direction of the Kaaba and at night it is a spectacle to watch. I have to admit that I didn't like it all at first and am saddened that so much heritage of the old Mecca (and Medina) has been destroyed, however, now it is there and is a monument to Arab inventive and progress.

[matiasb]

The construction company was the "Saudi Binladin Group", owned by the Bin Laden family, and construction began in 2002, what a paradox.

[LosoDFoR-bg]

Makkah is the best city in the world and I’m from Jeddah Saudi Arabia

[akirahideyoshi]

99% of skyscrapers around the world are glass and metal giant boxes this one though represents the Andalusian/islamic architecture style which is much better (when any nation builds architecture that represents them and has some thought put into it visually, it's x10 times better than glass and metal boxes lol)

[charlie]

Much more impressive than anything in America

[tye]

I think it is a magnificent, wonderful structure. I love massive intricate buildings like that. However... this is very strange to me that one would place this towering over the holiest site in their religion... Idk, maybe it's just me, but wouldn't you want something a little more timeless (no pun intended, really);;; Like something a little more traditional and conservative? Or just no massive building at all. Looking at a picture of Mecca, no doubt that the focal point of the city, where your eye is immediately drawn to... is the Clock Tower, _not_ the mosque. It is very ostentatious and just kind of odd to put it _right next_ to your religion's holiest site.

[officerdonut]

This is energetic technology the location is very specific as it would be.

And it was built ontop of a starfort

[windioktavia]

Hallo..I'm windi oktavia from shandhika widya cinema the keajaiban dunia program Net TV. Want to ask for this account video and permission to play the net TV kejaiaban dunia program, and then we'll include a source/credit title with this account name, thank you

[stickynorth]

Talk about a truly awe-inspiring complex. Not a fan of the architectural style itself (more of a Miesian minimalist myself) but it fits given its location and historical context fits perfectly with the site and the ambition for it... At least this Supertall is a success unlike say the Jeddah Tower... ;-)

[_Chicken_Soup]

For 15 billion they would buy a lot of pagers.

[jurb]

looks like a casino replica of big ben

[shahfaisal]

Nice tower
.too close to Kaabah. Wish it was somewhere else

[Defender]

too bad non muslim ppl cant ever visit this place🤷‍♂

[mehjabinvadivala]

I like your French France 🇫🇷 accent but sometimes I can’t stand what your saying I’m ai sorry will you folrgive me. I’m a sorry.

[andrewgibson]

Very impressive and interesting to look at, much better than some of the rubbish rising up in London these days 🙂

[curly__]

So when will americans fly planes into it?

[leifjohnson]

too bad we do not have a version of this video IN ENGLISH

[MultiSpazzo]

The fact that European staff had to convert to Islam just to work on this absolute vanity project (which I’m sure Allah wouldn’t approve of based on his teachings but I’m western maybe I’m an idiot) but to build the world most expensive skyscraper in one of the most divisional regions in the world regarding poverty and luxury just seems entirely hypocritical. In my city mosques were protected by locals when the recent right wing idiots started attacking them nationally. How about showing the same solidarity and understanding to people in the west and just maybe you might change the minds of some of our doubters. Just a thought.

[AravatAi]

Clock style is not looking good at building.