Eid Al Adha: Makkah Clock Tower lights up, signals beginning of Zul Hijjah

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A new video shows the Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia beaming light into the sky on Saturday night to mark the beginning of Zul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia marked Sunday, July 11, as the first day of Zul Hijjah. Therefore, July 19 will mark the Day of Arafat and July 20 will be the first day of Eid Al Adha.

UAE residents will have a six-day long break from July 19 to July 24 on the occasion of Eid Al Adha.

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Reaching a height of 601 metres above the ground, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower is the tallest tower in Saudi Arabia, the third tallest in the world and the second tallest in the Middle East after the Burj Khalifa.

The clock tower stands in the centre of a high-rise complex called Abraj Al-Bait. Six smaller high-rises surround it at varying heights and accommodate both residential and hotel uses.

Four colossal clock faces are mounted near the top of the tower. These clocks hold the record for both the largest and highest in the world.

At night, the clock faces are illuminated by one million LED lights that transform the tower into a green and white beacon. Writing is inscribed above each clock, with the words “God is the Greatest” on the north and south sides. The Quran adorns the east and west sides, according to Skyscraper Center.

• Saudi Arabia