For more than a century, a point on the top of a hill in south-east London has been recognised as the centre of world time and the official starting point of each new day. But now the supremacy of Greenwich Mean Time is being challenged by a gargantuan new clock being built in Mecca, by which the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims could soon be setting their watches.
Due to start ticking on Thursday as the faithful begin fasting during the month of Ramadan, the timepiece sits atop the Royal Mecca Clock Tower which dominates Islam’s holiest city. The clock’s four faces are 151ft in diameter and will be illuminated by 2million LED lights along with huge Arabic script reading: “In the name of Allah”. The clock will run on Arabia Standard Time which is three hours ahead of GMT. Read this for more details.
Oh I forgot to say I don't know if that pic is real or not... I tried looking up videos on youtube but there isn't any of the finished clock tower and I did find some videos of the construction process... and the design looks kinda different to whats shown in this pic... So if anyone (especially from KSA) has pics/videos of the finished tower, please do post them here! :)
A good effort and gesture at the part of KSA govt.
Thank you Mirch, we really need to hear more comments like this.
I fail to understand why we don't appreciate some good effort made by our muslim brothers and sisters. When we talk about the only 7 star hotel in the world, we start dissing sheikhs and dubai .... when we talk about the multi-billion dollar international university, KAUST, we start dissing KSA and its King, instead of being proud of the fact that the middle east is advancing.... The Big Ben is an international tourist attraction, and now that KSA has built such a complex structure, we still won't appreciate it as an architectural masterpiece but instead we'd like to diss the saudis, the cost and what not ....
I agree. if Saudis have done a brainy thing for the first time, it should be appreciated. If they continue to spend their money like this, they will do their country a big favor because we have little idea where all the oil money goes.
Well that's great of the KSA for their donations to help out. May they be rewarded for that.
But spending money on frivolous items is another matter. Yes, it is their money, and they could do what they want, but what about upgrading the facilities in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah? Why not give everyone the same treatment in Mina, instead of having the 3rd world tent, VIP tents, North American Tents, and the buildings used for the royalty. It's good to spend money, but just spend it wisely - no need to compete for worldly and superficial items like the biggest clock and the tallest building.
Yaar aap loug to har baat ka batnagar banaa detai hain.
Its their money, let them spend it the way they want. Did we ask Britishers why they built big ben and why not send that money to feed poor people of africa?
I read the thread when there was only one post .. the initial post .. I was like .. So this was the building that was being constructed when i was there . ... .. Nice .. ..
I came back to the thread and all i see are arguments over nothing .. :| .. .. ..
you know the biggest problem of world .. well more preceisly .. of muslims .. that .. they have Free Ideas and they have Ample time to criticise on EVERYTHING! .. .. .. ..
The best reply to this post could have been .. .. SubhanAllah (if you read that the clock is visible from distance places and at every namaz time it will blink with led's). ..
its batangar, not batnagar ..