Twin pride of Malaysia

The Petronas Twin Towers has captivated global attention ever since it was officially opened on Aug 31,1999.

It reigned as the tallest building in the world until 2004 when it was surpassed by Taipei 101

Despite losing that title, it remains a wonder in the eyes of Malaysians and the world. No visit to the capital city is complete without taking a snapshot there.

Until today, the 88-storey icon remains the world’s tallest twin towers.

Its site planning began in January 1992, led by architect Cesar Pelli who had also designed other prominent landmarks such as the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong and the Ronald Reagan National Airport outside Washington.

"Excavators began digging 30m below the surface of the site on March 1993. The work required moving over 500 truckloads of earth every night," said its website.

"Following that was the single, largest, and longest concrete pour ever in Malaysian history; about 13,200 cubic metres of concrete was continuously poured per tower through a period of 54 hours. This record-breaking slab with 104 piles of concrete layers form the very foundation for the twin towers we see today."

One fascinating feature is the skybridge, which links both towers on the 41st and 42nd floors. Besides providing structural support during high winds, the bridge is also a safety feature during fire and emergencies so people can evacuate to the other tower.

It took six years and RM6bil to complete the construction of Petronas Twin Towers.

One fascinating trivia from its website: the lamination glass over the surface of the skyscraper requires two months just to clean every single glass panel.

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