The Saudi Arabian government has implemented plans to build the world’s biggest clock in the Islamic holy city of Mecca. This impressive clock is due to start ticking this week to herald the start of Ramadan.
The Royal Mecca Clock Tower
This enormous clock will eventually sit atop a skyscraper, which once completed will stand at over 2,000 feet, making it one of the world’s tallest buildings. However, if that isn’t impressive enough the ornamental clock face itself will be over 150 feet in diameter, making it the world’s largest clock by quite a long way. Such a large clock at this height will be able to be seen for miles and it is planned for the faces to be illuminated with green and white lights at specific points in the day to remind Muslims up to eighteen miles away that it is time for prayers.
However, as ambitious as this clock is the motive behind its creation is even more ambitious. It is hoped by its creators that that the creation of the Royal Mecca Clock Tower will help to make Mecca Time the standard by which all international clocks are set. The standard is currently taken from Greenwich Mean Time, which Standard Arabic time, the time in Mecca, is three hours ahead of.
So, it’s possible that in the future we may be setting the dials on our TAG Heuer watches to Mecca Standard Time as opposed to GMT. However for the meantime (no pun intended) irrespective of whether or not this clock changes that standard by which the world sets their watches it’s certainly an impressive and ambitious construction.