Abraj Al Bait Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Abraj-Al-Bait
أبراج البيت
General information
Status	Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Architectural style	Postmodern New Classical
Construction started	2004
Completed	2011
Opened	2012
Cost	US$15 billion

The Abraj Al Bait (Arabic: أبراج البيت‎) is a very large building complex in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is famous for its giant clock tower. This tower is one of the tallest buildings in the world. It stands right next to the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The complex has hotels, a shopping mall, and apartments. It helps welcome many visitors to the holy city.

The Giant Clock Tower
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The Giant Clock Tower

The most famous part of Abraj Al Bait is its huge clock tower. This tower is 601 meters (about 1,972 feet) tall. It was the tallest building in Saudi Arabia from 2004 to 2011. The clock faces on the tower are the largest in the world. You can see them from many miles away.

Building the Towers

Work on the Abraj Al Bait complex started in 2004. It took about seven years to build. The main parts were finished in 2011. The whole complex officially opened in 2012. It cost around US$15 billion to build this amazing place.

What's Inside the Complex?

The Abraj Al Bait complex is more than just a clock tower. It has several tall buildings. These buildings include:

Hotels for visitors coming to Mecca.
A large shopping mall with many stores.
Apartments for people to live in.
Prayer areas for worship.
A museum about Islamic history.

The complex is designed to serve the millions of pilgrims who visit Mecca each year.

Design and Style

The buildings have a mix of old and new styles. This is called Postmodern and New Classical architecture. It means they use modern building methods. But they also include designs from older, traditional buildings. The clock tower itself looks very grand. It has a golden crescent at the top.