Jeddah Tower: The Race to the Sky Beyond Burj Khalifa

In the heart of Saudi Arabia, a silent race to the clouds continues. The dream? To build the tallest structure ever made by humankind. That dream is called Jeddah Tower.

Formerly known as the Kingdom Tower, this futuristic skyscraper is designed to rise over 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) high — making it the first kilometer-high tower in the world. To put that into perspective: the Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building on Earth, stands at 828 meters. Jeddah Tower aims to exceed that by at least 172 meters.

But the story of Jeddah Tower isn’t just about height — it's about vision, delay, and revival.

A Bold Beginning
The project was first announced in 2008 by Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, a billionaire investor and a member of the royal family. His ambition was clear: to put Saudi Arabia not just on the map, but above it.

The location chosen was Jeddah, a coastal city on the Red Sea, and a gateway to Mecca. The tower would serve as the centerpiece of Jeddah Economic City, a massive urban development intended to modernize the kingdom and attract global investment.

In 2013, construction officially began, with the world watching in anticipation. The tower’s sleek, needle-like design, created by the firm of Adrian Smith — the same architect behind the Burj Khalifa — symbolized progress and innovation.

The Sudden Pause
Everything was going well until 2018, when construction came to a standstill.

Political issues, labor disputes, and contractor problems delayed the work. By then, the structure had already reached over 250 meters, about 63 floors up. Then, silence.

For several years, the site remained untouched. Rumors flew. Some said the project had been quietly abandoned. Others claimed funding had dried up. Many believed the vision had simply failed.

Rising Again
Then, in late 2023, reports began to surface: Jeddah Tower was not dead.

In fact, new contractors were being invited to bid on the project, and Saudi officials confirmed their commitment to completing it. With the Vision 2030 initiative in full swing — a nationwide plan to diversify the kingdom’s economy — megaprojects like Jeddah Tower are more important than ever.

If everything goes as planned, the tower may be completed by 2028 or 2030. If so, it will officially claim the title of “Tallest Building in the World” — a title many believed could not be taken from Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

More Than Just Height
Jeddah Tower is more than a race for records. It’s a symbol of a changing Saudi Arabia — one that is reaching for the sky both literally and metaphorically.

The tower will house:

Offices

Luxury apartments

A Four Seasons Hotel

An observation deck at over 600 meters

The observation deck alone would become the highest publicly accessible viewpoint in the world.

But the real power of Jeddah Tower lies in what it represents. In a region long known for oil, the new focus is on architecture, tourism, and international prestige.

Will It Really Happen?
Skepticism remains. After all, many record-breaking towers have been announced and cancelled across the world. But the recent momentum, the return of international developers, and the renewed commitment by Saudi leadership suggests that this time, the dream may become reality.

For now, the concrete structure still stands quietly along the Jeddah coast — incomplete, but not forgotten.

Every skyscraper begins with a vision. Jeddah Tower still holds onto its own — a vision to touch the clouds, reshape a city, and make history.