Mecca Rising - A Holy City in Transition

[Skyscraperologist]

Below is a collection of new never-before-seen images from Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Much of the historic city is currently being demolished. Each day, several buildings undergo controlled-demolition with explosives that leave dust clouds which seem to symbolize the past giving way to the future. Over the rubble, some of the tallest buildings on the planet are rising to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population and an ever growing number of pilgrims from the world's fastest growing religion who make their spiritual journeys (Umrah and Hajj) to Mecca from every part of the world. Welcome to a holy city in transition--Mecca, Saudi Arabia.


View from the roof of Abraj Al Bait--the largest hotel development in history with 15.6 Million sq. ft. of floor space)
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraj_Al_Bait_Towers
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The tallest tower in Abraj Al Bait, still under construction, is expected to reach a height of 1,952ft.
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This city of 1.7 million residents received around 15 million visitors in 2007 and that number is projected to grow 10% each year. Source:http://www.arabianbusiness.com/523080-race-to-the-holy-city?ln=en
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The Masjid Al Haram (Grand Mosque) at 1:46 AM. The Tawaf (circumambulation of the Kaabah) takes place 24/7. This is one of the few buildings on Earth that has been open to the public for literally hundreds of years without interruption.
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Abraj Al Bait-the world's largest hotel development-will soon be home the the second tallest building on Earth.
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Old Mecca
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New Mecca
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A cat relaxes on the hood of a new Toyota Camry.
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Construction to expand the Grand Mosque which can accommodate over 4 million worshipers
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Kaaba
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Mecca Hilton. Below the 30-storey Hilton, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and KFC are popular restaurants within meters of the Grand Mosque.
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[Hawa Beirut]

yuikis looks huge:D

[Dallas star]

Why are there 2 of these threads?

[RANA AAA]

Nice nice pics really those pics really amazing Masha Allah

[Rekarte]

Congratulations to those who took the photos!:applause::applause::applause:
are with a great quality, and the city of Mecca is incredible!

[Rody69]

just a small info about this great city.Makkah is the common name for the city...
other names like:
-Becca (the oldest name for the city)
-um alqura "the mother of the towns"
-pharan or wadi pharan "Vally of pharan" or faran: some says it's an old name for the city but other says is the old name for Mountain Thawr "Hera'a cave" (where prophet Mohammed (PBUH) had the first revealing from god.

[gohorns]

Excellent compilation of photos! All the opponents of tall buildings around the kaaba (or elsewhere in Makkah) need to see the pics and get an idea of how rugged Makkah's terrain is...and stop complaining and instead be grateful that old buildings are being replaced and new construction is taking place to accomodate "us".