High, wide and handsome

World’s largest crescent stands aloft on top of a huge clock

MAKKAH: The largest golden crescent in the world stands aloft in the sky over the Grand Mosque on the top of a huge clock.

Its height is more than half a kilometer above the ground, raising its arms into space to embrace the sky. The crescent sits on the second tallest tower in the world, weighing about 35 tons, and its construction took three months.

The crescent is 22 meters long and 24 meters wide, and has a diameter of 23 meters.

The tower supporting the crescent is divided into 10 parts and contains the highest residence quarters in the world in its middle. It is the main component of the complex that includes seven towers and is being developed as part of the King Abdul Aziz endowment project for the Two Holy Mosques.

The crescent is so huge that it includes room for housing, employment, service and maintenance, as well as six lifts to transport visitors to the surrounding balcony below the four clocks.

The crescent emanates rays of white light up into the sky from 21,000 light bulbs that can be seen from a distance of up to 30 km.

The base of the crescent is decorated with the word “Allah-hu Akbar” (God is the greatest) that can be seen from a great distance.