Kuala Lumpur Tower/Menara Kuala Lumpur

The Kuala Lumpur Tower is a tall tower located within Kuala Lumpur city. The tower is officially known as Menara Kuala Lumpur and also referred as KL Tower. KL Tower is used for communication purposes and has an antenna that reaches the height of 421 m (1,381 ft), which currently makes it the fifth tallest tower in the world (after the CN Tower in Canada, the Ostankino Tower in Russia, the Oriental Pearl Tower in China, and the Borj-e Milad in Iran).

The Kuala Lumpur Tower structure is divided into 5 basic sections (Sequence from bottom to top):

  1. The foundation base has 3 basement floors for safety purposes, storage and maintenance work.
  2. The tourist building has the administration office, souvenir shops and the 146 metres pedestrian mall with cascading pools.
  3. The tower shaft comprises 22 levels with 4 elevators and flights of stairs with a total of 2,058 steps.
  4. The tower head holds the public observation platform (276 m) and a revolving restaurant as well as the telecommunication and broadcasting stations.
  5. The antenna mast crowns the tower and is specially utilized for telecommunication and broadcasting transmissions.

When constructing the KL 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, which is found near the pedestrian mall.

The Chronology of Menara Kuala Lumpur Construction

The construction of the KL Tower which began on October 1991, was a 3-phase process.

1st Phase, 4th October 1991:

  • Widening of Jalan Punchak and excavations of soil from construction site.
  • Finished: 15th August 1992.

2nd Phase, 6th July 1992:

  • Construction of the foundation and basement of tower.
  • 50,000 cubic metres of concrete were poured for 31 hours hence setting a record in the Malaysian construction industry.
  • Finished: 15th April 1993 (without pilling).

3rd Phase/’superstructure’, began in May 1994:

  • The construction of the tower starts with erection of the tower shaft, then the tower head.
  • As the final touches to the tower head were being done, the construction of the tourist building began.
  • Islamic motif added to reflect Malaysia’s Islamic Heritage, and blended eastern design with western architectural technology.
  • Main Lobby – decorated with lovely glass-clad domes that glint like huge diamond.
  • These domes were designed and arranged in the form of the ‘Muqarnas’ by Iranian craftsmen from Esfahan.

Final Touch, 13th September 1994:

  • Topping up Ceremony where the Antenna Mast was installed by YAB Dato’ Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
  • Marking the final height of tower, 421 above ground level.
  • Installation of the facilities and amenities executed to ensure comfort and safety.

Perfecting Tower:

  • Opened to public on 23rd July 1996.
  • Officially launched by the Malaysian Prime Minister at that time, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia on 1st October 1996.

Location of Kuala Lumpur Tower/Menara Kuala Lumpur

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