Last week the work on the installation of the largest folding umbrella in the world has been started in the Makkah’s Grand Mosque. Once completed, it will be the masterpiece of the architectural work. It would be the first installation of the folding umbrella in the Grand Mosque of Makkah. After the successful installation of the first one, 7 other of the same sizes and 56 small ones will be installed in the upcoming six months. Here are some interesting facts about the world’s largest folding umbrella that is going to be installed in the Makkah’s Grand Mosque.
1. There are eight umbrellas of same size
In the first phase, only one will be installed and later on seven more of the same sizes will be installed. In the upcoming six months, Saudi Government has planned to install the 56 more small folding umbrellas around these mega eights.
2. Height and Weight
The height of each umbrella is almost 45 meters and the weight of each one is 165 tons. When opened, it will provide shade to an area of 2,400 square meters.
3. All will accommodate 400,000 worshippers
These eight giant folding umbrellas and the 56 small umbrellas alongside the large one will provide the shade to around 400,000 worshippers.
4. German experts will look after the project
Specialists’ technicians, twenty-five engineers and safety experts from Germany will supervise the installation process. Entire electronic operating mechanism and installation process will be under the supervision of German experts.
5. Screens in umbrellas
Each canopy will be accompanied by a number of screens and giant clock for the guidelines of the worshippers.
6. Total covered area
After the successful installation of all canopies, these will cover the land area of 275,000 square meters.
7. Work like blooming flowers
These will be installed in such a way that these will not collide with each other and will fold and unfold like the blooming flowers.
8. Based on Scientific Environmental Principles
These umbrellas are being installed and shaped in such a way that these will work according to the situation of the ongoing environment. In summer, these will reflect the sun’s radiant energy and the process will be automatically reversed in the winter season.
9. Time to take during folding and unfolding
Despite the fact that these will be giant one, still these umbrellas will take approximately less than three minutes for folding and unfolding on daily basis. These will be programmed differently to fold and unfold in different times to avoid the all kind of possible collision.
10. Benches for the worshippers
Around 122 benches under each umbrella will be kept for the worshipper to take rest. Service building in each umbrella will be also built.
11. This was the idea of late King Abdullah
The project is not new. It was ordered by the Late King of Saudi Abdullah in December 2014 before his death that is no being implemented by the current Saudi Government.
