Kingdom Center, at the Skybridge by Day

tallest skyscraper in the world below 50 floors
october 18, 2011 tuesday

Kingdom Centre also called Al Mamlaka Tower is a skyscraper located in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is currently the second tallest skyscraper in Saudi Arabia with a height of 302.3 m (992 ft). It's also the third tallest building with a hole in the world (after Shanghai World Finacial Center and Tuntex Sky Tower). AL-Mamlaka Tower contains a total of 41 floors and 2 basement levels. AL-Mamlka Tower is owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, a prince of the Saudi royal family. It is also the headquarters of his holding company: Kingdom Holding Company. The total cost of the project was US$ 1 billion and the contract was taken by Saudi Arabian Al-Seif and The Italian Impregilo.

Kingdom Centre is the tallest skyscraper in the world below 50 floors. At its completion this was the 25th tallest building in the world, and the tallest of the 21st century. The hotel's ballroom is the largest in Riyadh, and the largest in the entire Four Seasons hotel chain. The viewing deck has a steeply arched floor, and features diagonal cross-beams along the windows. The building has an entrance on each of its four sides, each one serving a different usage (hotel, shopping, ballroom, and apartments/offices). The tower is aligned in a direct axis with Al Faisaliyah Center, Riyadh's other major skyscraper.

kingdom center view at far

kingdom center zooming the skybridge

kingdom center zooming the skybridge

kingdom center zooming the skybridge

kingdom center at foot shot

kingdom center shopping mall

kingdom center shopping mall skybridge entrance at 2nd floor

kingdom center skybridge viewing deck

kingdom center skybridge viewing deck

riyadh city at kingdom center skybridge viewing deck

riyadh city at kingdom center skybridge viewing deck

walking trip to transfer level lasts 50 seconds at the end of which I am at least 180 meters above ground level. At this level (77th floor), I transferred to a second elevator that will take me to the skybridge. the trip on the second elevator last less than 40 seconds. the skybridge is an iron structure weighing 300 tons, it is located 300 meters above ground level (conquering my altophobia). with entrance fee of 25sar(php287), an open time access to the skybridge's viewing deck at the 99th floor above. since i was in the al faisaliah center at night, i decided to put my viewing deck experience on this huge building by day.