The Kuala Lumpur Tower (Malay: Menara Kuala Lumpur) is a communications tower. Its construction was completed on 1 March 1995. It features an antenna that increases its height to 421 metres (1,381 feet) and it is currently the 7th tallest freestanding tower in the world. The roof of the pod is at 335 metres (1,099 feet). The rest of the tower below has a stairwell and an elevator to reach the upper area, which also contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners with a panoramic view of the city.
Kuala Lumpur Tower.
(Source: Barnyard Dawg, 2020)
History
The official groundbreaking for the Kuala Lumpur Tower was overseen by the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad on 1 October 1991. Construction of the tower was a three-phase process. The first phase was the widening of Jalan Bukit Nanas and the excavation of soil from the construction site. This phase was completed on 1 August 1992. On 1 July 1992, the second phase began with the construction of the foundation and basement of the tower. Approximately 50,000 cubic metres of concrete were continuously poured for 31 hours, thus setting a record in the Malaysian construction industry. The foundation work, requiring no piling, was completed on 1 April 1993. The third phase was the construction of the 'superstructure' which began in May 1994. The construction of the tower started with the erection of the tower shaft, then the tower head.
The main lobby of the upper ground floor is decorated with exquisite glass-clad domes that sparkle like giant diamonds. These domes were designed and arranged in the form of the Muqarnas by Iranian craftsmen from Isfahan.
On 13 September 1994, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad performed the 'topping-up ceremony' where the antenna mast was installed, thus marking the final height of the tower, 421 metres above the ground. Kuala Lumpur Tower was opened to public on 23 July 1996.
Fun fact
When constructing Kuala Lumpur Tower, the builders took special care to construct a retaining wall around a 100-year-old jelutong tree (Dyera costulata). The tower was moved at a cost of RM430,000 to avoid harming the monumental tree. A cache can be found right next to the Jelutong Tree.
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