Whenever someone mentions Kuala Lumpur, for most people the number one thing that jumps to mind is the Petronas Towers. These twin towers rise high above the KL skyline, reaching quite a ways higher than anything else in the city, with the exception of the KL Tower, which doesn't count because it is a TV/Radio tower and not a true commercial or residential building. Glittering and beautiful, the towers were designed with Islamic minaret architecture in mind, and their easily recognizable shape and design means have become icons not just for KL itself, but also for Malaysia on the whole. No visit to Kuala Lumpur should be without a trip at least to see them; do yourself a favor and spend the money and spring for a trip up in them, you wont regret it!
|
Currently, the Petronas Towers are tallest twin towers in the world, rising to a height of 451 meters or 1,483 feet. They were the tallest buildings in the world from the time of their completion in 1998 until 2004 (when they were surpassed by Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Currently they are the 8th tallest buildings on the planet, although they continue to move farther down the list with every new skyscraper that is built around the world. Each tower contains 93 floors. They are connected by a skybridge on the 41st and 42nd floors, which currently holds the record for the highest skybridge in the world.
The towers were built by the National Petroleum Company of Malaysia, also known as Petroliam Nasional Berhad, and were constructed over a four year period from 1992 to 1996, although they were not officially inaugurated until 1999. For a time they not only held the record of the tallest buildings in the world, but also of the deepest foundations in the world, with some piles reaching as deep as 115 meters, or 375 feet! Both towers are used exclusively for commercial space, and visitors are only allowed in the north tower.
We decided the take the tour, which involves a fifteen minute stop on the Skybridge, before going up to the viewing platform on the 86th floor. The views from the Skybridge are impressive in it's own right, standing 170 m / 560 feet above the ground, which is already higher than most of the buildings around the towers. The views of the plazas on either side area quite nice, as well as the views of the city skyline as well.
Following a short spell on the Skybridge, it was time for the main event, so we [the tour group] all piled into the elevator and headed up. The elevator moves remarkably fast; we could feel our ears popping as we rapidly shot to the top of the building. While the observation room is not quite on the top of the building, it is a long ways up there- 470 meters, or around 1,540 feet- and the views from the top are nothing short of spectacular. While we happened to be there on a somewhat hazy day, we could still see plenty of the city, and I took way too many photos.
The one problem with the tour is that it is on a very strict time table. This means no loitering and leaving when the tour guide says it's time. While some people may not mind at all, and snap a few pics and call it good, we wished we had more time. The views are incredible in all directions and it would have been nice to be able to spend some time trying to identify all the buildings we could see. There are also views in almost 360 degrees, blocked only to the south because of the other tower. There is also an amazing model of the KLCC area here, and I feel like I had to sacrifice time looking at that because I wanted to check out all the possible views from the windows. Still, any time on this airy observation level is well worth it!
After our time in the tower, we went down to the base, where a sprawling commercial center called Suria KLCC exists, consisting of a multi-story shopping mall, restaurants, a cinema, grocery stores, and many other activities. As we hadn't had it in some time, we went straight to the Chili's, and had ourselves a good old fashioned American meal, and it was damn tasty. After a quick trip outside to see the fountains and the plaza, it was time to head out!
All photos copyright Kit Davidson unless otherwise noted.