Will 'Makkah Time' replace 'Greenwich Mean Time'?
If Big Ben was the only big clock tower you’ve come across, it is time to rethink that.
The world’s largest clock is being constructed in the Islamic city of Makkah in Saudia Arabia and marks the inception of a new time meridian called as Makkah Time.
This giant clock is built on a 1,983-foot clock tower which has four faces. Each of the four faces of this clock will have a face-diameter of 46m and will be illuminated by two million LEDs in total. While, the clock tower has a slight resemblance to London’s Big Ben, the Big Ben is only 316 feet tall with 23m diameter for the clock faces.
This architectural wonder is actually a cluster of seven towers that will house a shopping mall, about 2,000 hotel rooms, prayer room for about 30,000 people and even two helipads. With the commencement of the first day of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, the clock started its 3-month trial-routine by ticking minutes and was instantly noticed earning gazes and glances by overwhelmed on lookers.
Among other marvelous things, the giant clock will also be viewable for general public from just underneath the clock faces from the four-storey astronomical observatory and Islamic museum on what is believed to be possibly the world’s second tallest building at 1983 feet next to Burj Khalifa (2717feet).
Residents of Makkah were quoted as saying that “the construction of the biggest clock in the world in the purest spot on the earth is a dream-come-true for Muslims,” said Atif Felmban, who lives in the city while Mr. Haleem admits that “I might leave Mecca before the opening ceremony for the clock. But I will be keen to follow it and set my watch to it as soon as it is working.”
Is the world ready to accept a new time median? Will the Makkah Time replace the Greenwich Mean Time? Only 'Time' can tell!
The world’s largest clock is being constructed in the Islamic city of Makkah in Saudia Arabia and marks the inception of a new time meridian called as Makkah Time.
This giant clock is built on a 1,983-foot clock tower which has four faces. Each of the four faces of this clock will have a face-diameter of 46m and will be illuminated by two million LEDs in total. While, the clock tower has a slight resemblance to London’s Big Ben, the Big Ben is only 316 feet tall with 23m diameter for the clock faces.
This architectural wonder is actually a cluster of seven towers that will house a shopping mall, about 2,000 hotel rooms, prayer room for about 30,000 people and even two helipads. With the commencement of the first day of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, the clock started its 3-month trial-routine by ticking minutes and was instantly noticed earning gazes and glances by overwhelmed on lookers.
Among other marvelous things, the giant clock will also be viewable for general public from just underneath the clock faces from the four-storey astronomical observatory and Islamic museum on what is believed to be possibly the world’s second tallest building at 1983 feet next to Burj Khalifa (2717feet).
Just beneath the face of the clock, the Arabic script reading “In The Name of Allah” runs across each side of the clock tower while the white and green lights which will flash during prayer times - signaling that it’s time for Namaz, the Islamic prayers that’s offered five times a day.
Because Makkah is the center of the world, muslims claimed that Makkah Time should be the primary time meridian and not the Greenwich Mean Time which was imposed by the west in 1884.
Is the world ready to accept a new time median? Will the Makkah Time replace the Greenwich Mean Time? Only 'Time' can tell!
