מגדל ג'דה ערב הסעודית: כל מה שצריך לדעת (מדריך 2026)

Jeddah Tower is a neo-futuristic megatall skyscraper rising on the Red Sea coast in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. When completed around 2028, it will soar over 1,000 meters (3,281+ feet) above the city, a height nearly 11 times the פסל החירות ולגבי 564 feet higher than Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

זֶה מגדל בן 167 קומות will redefine Jeddah’s skyline as the centerpiece of the massive Jeddah Economic City development, a planned $20 billion new district on the coast. The mixed-use complex will include a luxury hotel, residences, offices, and the world’s highest observation deck.

Construction of Jeddah Tower החל בשנת 2013, but the project faced delays. Work paused in 2018 amid contractor issues and a national anti-corruption campaign. Activity resumed in סוף 2023, and progress has accelerated since then.

By January 2026, the tower had topped 80 floors, and by April 2026, it had reached about the 95th story. Structural engineers now expect the 100th floor to be built by mid-2026. This race upward means Jeddah Tower is on track to top out before late 2026 and finish by its projected August 2028 completion date.

This ambitious project is part of Saudi Vision 2030’s effort to diversify the economy and boost tourism. The tower’s אַדְרִיכָל (Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill) and developers describe it as a “מגדלור של חדשנות” and a catalyst for new growth in Jeddah.

Indeed, the design evokes a bundle of palm fronds or desert plants pushing skyward, symbolizing new life and development. Over its 167 קומות, Jeddah Tower will house a Five-Star hotel (floors 19–27, 200 rooms), luxury apartments, office space, retail, and entertainment venues.

ב 157th רָמָה, a 30-meter-wide sky terrace and open-air observatory deck will offer תצוגות 360°, the highest public viewpoints on earth.

In this guide, we cover all the key facts and latest news about Jeddah Tower. You’ll find a quick facts table below, followed by detailed sections on its architecture, construction timeline, and travel information. Read on to learn about the tower’s progress, design highlights, touring plans, and nearby attractions in Jeddah.

בקצרה

What Is Jeddah Tower?

Jeddah Tower (formerly “Kingdom Tower”) is planned to be the world’s first 1-kilometer-tall building. At over 1,008 מטרים, its slender supertall form will far exceed any existing skyscraper. It is the centrepiece of the new Jeddah Economic City development on the Red Sea coast.

This master-planned district (covering 5.2 קמ"ר) will include hotels, malls, and business centers surrounding the tower. In effect, Jeddah Tower will serve as a new downtown for northern Jeddah.

The building has a striking three-wing or “petal” footprint. Each of the three sides tapers and twists slightly as it rises, evoking the folded fronds of desert palms. This aerodynamic design is not just symbolic: the taper and notches create shaded terraces and help wind flow smoothly around the structure, reducing lateral forces.

השמיים ultra-thin profile and reflective glass facade of the tower combine to produce a smooth, עתידני המראה, blending the Saudi architecture with hi-tech technology.

Inside, Jeddah Tower is intended as an יוקרתי במיוחד mixed-use complex. Plans call for a five-star Four Seasons hotel occupying floors 19–27 (around 200 guest rooms), upscale residences and serviced apartments on higher floors, and Class-A office space.

Several sky lobbies, restaurants, and retail outlets will be dispersed throughout. Most notably, the building will feature the world’s highest observatory deck. A circular 30-meter-wide sky terrace at about 630 meters altitude will be open to the public, offering panoramic views of the city and the Red Sea.

של המגדל 59 express elevators (including double-deck cars) and 8 escalators will whisk visitors to these amenities in moments.

In summary, Jeddah Tower is set to become an icon of Saudi modernity: a towering landmark that houses luxury accommodations, business space, and public attractions all in one megastructure.

מיקום ונגישות

Jeddah Tower is located on the north side of Jeddah, along the Red Sea coast. It sits within the planned Jeddah Economic City (sometimes called Kingdom City) – a 50-hectare development roughly 20 kilometers north of downtown Jeddah. The site faces west toward the Red Sea, just a short drive inland from the Corniche waterfront.

Currently, visitors can reach Jeddah Tower by road. The King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) is about 30 minutes (20–25 km) to the south; taxis or car services connect the airport and city to the Jeddah Economic City area.

New highways and access roads have been built as part of the development. Public transit to the tower is limited today, but plans for a future Jeddah Metro (Blue Line) include service to the economic district, which will greatly improve access once completed. For now, driving remains the main way to visit.

Parking will be available on-site when the tower opens, and ongoing improvements around the area (hotels, malls, parks) mean that amenities are being added.

In short, Jeddah Tower lies in a rapidly developing zone north of Jeddah; until its opening, travelers should plan on taxis or rental cars to see it. The drive along the Corniche or via King Abdulaziz Highway offers the best vantage points of the building.

Construction Timeline and Updates

Construction of Jeddah Tower has spanned many years with starts and stops. The project broke ground in April 2013. By 2018, about one-third of the structure was built, but work was halted that year when its original contractor (the Saudi Binladin Group) was removed amid a government anti-corruption campaign.

The COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues caused further delays. No significant progress occurred for roughly five years.

Renewed development began in 2023. A new engineering team (Thornton Tomasetti) and contractors took over, and concrete pours resumed. By early 2024, construction cranes were operating again on site.

Reports to Architectural Digest in סוף 2024 ותחילת 2025 confirmed the restart: as of יָנוּאָר 2025, approximately 60 of the tower’s planned 167 floors had been erected. Progress accelerated thereafter.

In January 2026, the 80th floor was completed. By אַפּרִיל 2026, the structure reached around the 95th floor, with crews pushing toward the 100th floor soon after. In other words, Jeddah Tower was nearly halfway to its full height by מוקדם 2026, a remarkable pace given the five-year hiatus.

Looking ahead, the plan remains to finish construction by אמצע 2028. According to recent statements by the developer and architect, the targeted completion date is אוגוסט 2028. Neither JEC nor the architects have announced any delay to that schedule.

Assuming the schedule holds, the tower’s “topping out” (final beam) should occur by 2026 מאוחר or תחילת 2027, followed by extensive interior fit-out and facade work. After nine more years of starts, pauses, and resumes, Jeddah Tower is once again on track to achieve its August 2028 finish.

אדריכלות ועיצוב

Jeddah Tower’s architecture combines cutting-edge engineering with symbolic design. The tower was חזוי by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture in Chicago, continuing a legacy that includes the Burj Khalifa.

It is officially ניאו-עתידנות, which is representative of modern technology as well as the local heritage. The general shape is that of a group of leaves or a budding palm, tapering gracefully up the side.

אחד ממאפייני העיצוב המרכזיים הוא three-petal footprint. The building has three faceted wings (petals) that start out joined at the base and then gently split apart toward the top.

The plan is a three-wing plan in a triangle, which is best suited to laying out the hotel and residential units. The tapering wings structurally form an aerodynamic shape that minimizes the wind forces.

The towers become narrow, which interferes with shedding the vortexes and enhances stability. The slender profile also minimizes the building’s visual bulk, making a 1km tower look elegant rather than blocky.

Energy efficiency and climate considerations are built into the design. The facade will use a high-performance glass and wall system to cut solar heat gain. Each of the three sides of the tower has deep vertical notches or cut-outs. These notches create shaded outdoor terraces and break up the sun’s rays, lowering cooling loads.

In daytime, parts of the tower’s walls are shielded in shadow by the structure itself, and in the evenings, the transparent walls offer wide views. These passive shading strategies are crucial in Jeddah’s very hot, sunny climate.

Given its unprecedented height, Jeddah Tower also employs remarkable materials and construction techniques. The foundation uses a piled raft system: a 5-meter-thick concrete raft resting on 270 bored piles driven about 110 m into the ground.

This hybrid foundation, along with special high-strength concrete, is designed to withstand the desert’s heat and the enormous weight. The core and columns are made of reinforced concrete (unusually, an “all-concrete” mega-structure). These choices avoid the need for excessive steel at great heights.

Vertical transportation is another hallmark of the design. Nearly 59 מעליות מהירות (including 5 double-deck cars) will serve the tower. For example, the lifts going up to the observatory will move at about 10 meters per second in both directions.

To achieve that, KONE is supplying ultra-light carbon-fiber belts instead of conventional steel ropes (steel would be too heavy beyond a certain length). The elevator shafts are centrally located within the building’s core for rigidity.

In sum, the engineering draws on decades of skyscraper innovation: from deep piles and tuned concrete mixes, to rapid-hoist elevators and aerodynamic shaping.

Finally, the tower includes a spectacular sky terrace as part of its architecture. Around level 157, a 30-meter (98-foot) circular platform juts out from the facade. This open-air deck was originally conceived as a helipad, but the plan is to make it a public viewing area.

Once the tower opens, that sky terrace (and the enclosed observatory just below it) will become the highest tourist decks in the world. From there, visitors can gaze down at Jeddah and the Red Sea nearly 630 meters below.

אתגרים הנדסיים

Building to one kilometer presents extraordinary challenges. For starters, wind becomes a complex factor at such a height. Jeddah Tower’s tapered shape and notched sides help mitigate oscillations, but engineers still had to run wind tunnel tests and incorporate dampers if needed.

In fact, a principal engineer noted that at 1km, “the main challenges are along practical and architectural lines, not material or structural”. In other words, the raw concrete and steel can handle the loads, but getting the systems and services to work is the hard part.

Here are a few of the key engineering hurdles that the team has addressed:

Foundations and Ground: Before building, soil testing raised concerns. The site uses a massive concrete raft plus long piles. Pouring 5m of concrete and drilling piles over 100m deep was a major task, requiring round-the-clock crews to keep the concrete from setting prematurely. Groundwater and salt content in the soil also had to be managed during excavation.

Extreme Load Distribution: The tower is extremely heavy and tall; the concrete columns are in extreme creep (slow deformation) and become smaller over time. Engineers used high-strength concrete mixes that are ultra-low-permeability to avoid these effects.

מערכות מעליות: As mentioned, lifting people to 1km is non-trivial. Steel cables beyond a certain length would be too heavy. Instead, Jeddah Tower uses state-of-the-art fiber-sheathed belts. KONE’s custom rope system will allow the lifts to run continuously over extremely long distances without the stretch or weight issues of normal cables.

Construction Sequencing: The logistics of pouring concrete hundreds of stories up are daunting. The site uses high-capacity pumps and multiple staging towers. Since the tower is all-concrete, each floor slab had to be poured in sequence. The 10-meter/s elevators also help speed up crew movement, meaning workers can hop up quickly to where they’re needed.

אנרגיה וקיימות: MEP (mechanical/electrical/plumbing) systems had to be designed for 1km. For example, pumping chilled water or hot water over that height requires powerful pumps. The design also includes solar panels, smart HVAC controls, and energy-efficient lighting, as noted by the architects (from travel Q&A source). Each step from ventilation shafts to plumbing risers had to be rethought for scale.

Despite all these challenges, the consensus is that there are no unknown materials breakthroughs needed; it’s more about applying advanced engineering and precision.

As Thornton Tomasetti’s Bob Sinn said, “at extreme heights, the main challenges are along practical and architectural lines, not material or structural”. In summary, Jeddah Tower’s construction pushes the envelope, but it builds on proven high-rise technologies taken to a new extreme.

Jeddah Tower vs Other Tall Skyscrapers

בורג 'ח'ליפה

Jeddah Tower will stand in a league of its own when complete. Today’s tallest skyscraper, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa (828 m), will be eclipsed by Jeddah Tower by roughly 172–180 meters.

In numerical terms, Jeddah Tower’s 3,281-foot height is about 564 feet taller than Burj Khalifa. No other building approaches a kilometer; the next tallest (Shanghai Tower at 632 m) הוא על 370 m shorter. Even the famous Makkah Royal Clock Tower (601 m) is far below Jeddah’s planned height.

Among skyscrapers under construction, none surpasses Jeddah Tower’s design height. It will decisively reclaim the “world’s tallest” title. For context, besides Burj Khalifa, no finished skyscraper exceeds 600m.

(Some proposed projects, like the מגדל נחל דובאי or Nakheel’s Taller projects, might seek to break records, but as of 2026, none are certain.) In effect, from the moment it tops out, Jeddah Tower will become the measure of all supertalls.

That said, building to a kilometer has, in recent years, lost the aura of fantasy; the Burj Khalifa itself was once seen as implausible. Now, Jeddah Tower is following that same audacious path. It’s notable that the original concept for Jeddah Tower was even taller (1.6 km) and was scaled back for feasibility.

ב final design height (1,008 m), it will still dwarf every completed structure and set a new bar for engineering. In comparison to older landmarks (Eiffel Tower, Empire State, etc.), Jeddah Tower will tower above the rest by hundreds of meters.

In short, once finished, Jeddah Tower will reclaim humanity’s height record. It is the only building ever to reach the one-kilometer mark, a symbolic achievement that will be highlighted in all future discussions of skyscraper milestones.

What’s Inside Jeddah Tower

Jeddah Tower is planned as a mega-mixed-use complex. While final tenant lists are proprietary, published plans give a clear picture of their contents. On its 167 above-ground floors, you can expect:

מלון: A flagship Four Seasons hotel spanning floors 19–27, with roughly 200 guest rooms. This will be a premium experience, with fine dining and direct links to observation decks.

מגורים: Luxury condominiums and serviced apartments (likely on mid-to-upper floors) for private owners and short-term rentals.

משרדים: A number of sections of towers will be occupied by class-A corporate offices that may be located at the lower and middle levels.

קמעונאות ופנאי: Amenities like retail boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and sky-lobby spaces are planned throughout. The lower podium and several sky-lobbies will host dining and retail for guests and residents.

מרפסות תצפית: At the very top, an enclosed observation deck just below the 157th floor terrace will allow tourists to look out from about 630 meters above the city. Along with the outdoor sky terrace (open-air helipad), these will be the world’s highest public viewpoints.

Technical Floors: Some levels will be mechanical and service floors (e.g., elevator machine rooms, hotel support, ventilation). These are included in the total count of 167 floors.

הובלה אנכית: The tower will contain 59 high-speed elevators and 8 escalators, including express lifts from the lobby to the observatory. This ensures smooth movement for hotel guests, workers, and visitors alike.

The experience for visitors (once the tower opens) will be unique. Guests will ride double-deck elevators to sky lobbies, dine at panoramic restaurants, and visit the record-breaking observatory.

The architecture itself offers surprises: for instance, the 98-foot (30m) sky terrace on level 157, which was once envisioned as a helipad, will let people stand in the open air nearly two-thirds of a kilometer up.

At that height, on a clear day, one could see across the Red Sea far below. In essence, Jeddah Tower packs hotels, homes, offices, shopping, and sightseeing into a single colossal structure, turning it into a mini-city in the sky.

Can Tourists Visit Jeddah Tower?

As of 2026, Jeddah Tower is not open to the public – it is still an active construction site. The building will not be completed and ready for visitors until around its projected August 2028 date. That means tourists cannot enter the tower’s interiors yet or book tickets. The surrounding Jeddah Economic City area is still under development.

When it does open, the plan is to allow visitors to purchase tickets for the observation deck and sky terrace. (Exact hours and pricing have not been announced.) Based on similar attractions, we expect it will offer daily visiting hours, probably with higher-ticket options for express access.

However, those details will be confirmed closer to the opening date. Until then, the only way to “visit” Jeddah Tower is from outside, by driving or walking around its base and seeing the giant silhouette on the horizon. Local tour companies may eventually offer guided trips to the tower once it is finished.

In short, not yet: Jeddah Tower remains off-limits until construction completes. Travelers eager to see it can take in the exterior from a distance and explore the nearby new development plots, but the interiors (hotel rooms, observatory, etc.) will only be accessible after the tower opens in late 2028.

Things to Do Near Jeddah Tower

Although Jeddah Tower is not open, the area and the city of Jeddah have a lot of attractions. These are some of the highlights to visit in the Tower District and around:

Jeddah Corniche & King Fahd Fountain: A picturesque 30km wide waterfront prominence is located a few minutes south of the tower. The Corniche has parks, walking paths, and seaside cafes.

ג'דה קורניש

Its signature attraction is the King Fahd Fountain, a massive water jet in the Red Sea that shoots 312 meters (1,024 ft) high, making it the world’s tallest fountain. At night, the fountain is illuminated by 500 LEDs, creating a stunning display against the coastline. From the Corniche, you also get distant views of Jeddah Tower under construction.

Historic Al-Balad (Old Jeddah): About 20 km south of the new tower site is Al-Balad, Jeddah’s UNESCO World Heritage district. This is the 16th-century heart of the city, famous for its traditional coral-stone houses (with “roshan” wooden balconies) and bustling souks.

Attractions include the Nassif House Museum, old mosques, spice markets, and preserved merchant mansions. Exploring Al-Balad’s narrow alleys and markets gives a glimpse of historic Hijazi culture. (הערות: modest dress is required in Al-Balad as in all of Saudi Arabia.)

Red Sea Mall & Shopping: East of the Corniche is the modern Red Sea Mall, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest shopping malls. It features international brands, indoor theme parks, and food courts.

The neighboring Mall of Arabia is another major shopping destination. Even if retail isn’t your interest, these malls have entertainment facilities (movie theaters, ice rinks, arcades) that families enjoy.

Al Rahma (Floating) Mosque: On the northern end of the Corniche road sits the iconic Al Rahma Mosque (the “Floating Mosque”). Built in 1985, it appears to float on the Red Sea during high tide.

Al Rahma (Floating) Mosque

Its snow-white domes and columns make for a photogenic sight, especially at sunrise or sunset. It’s open to visitors outside prayer times (women should cover their heads).

חופים וספורט מים: Beaches along the Red Sea coast around Jeddah are known to be good for beaches and diving. Some public beaches (like the Silver Sands Resort area) allow swimming and snorkeling. Tourists can also arrange boat trips, fishing, or even scuba diving off the Corniche. The Red Sea’s coral reefs and clear waters are world-renowned.

Jeddah Economic City (Tower District): The tower area itself is being built up with parks and attractions. In the coming years, expect new cafes, a theme park or water park, and landscaped green space around the tower complex.

Even now, construction vehicles are creating viewing platforms for tower photos. Check for any new openings (hotels, restaurants) in the JEC area when you visit.

In short, while waiting for the tower to open, travelers can mix a visit to the future site with classic Jeddah experiences: a seaside stroll on the Corniche, historical tours in Al-Balad, and enjoying Red Sea hospitality at restaurants and shops. Each of these connects the modern vision of Jeddah Tower with the rich heritage and vibrant life of the city.

Economic and Global Impact of Jeddah Tower

Jeddah Tower is more than just an architectural landmark; it’s intended as an economic and cultural statement. The Saudi government and the tower’s backers see it as a מגדלור של חדשנות that will raise Jeddah’s and Saudi Arabia’s international profile. Building it is part of the plan to diversify the economy beyond oil by boosting tourism, real estate investment, and global interest in the kingdom.

The developer, Jeddah Economic Company, projects that the new downtown will attract businesses and visitors. JEC’s chief put it plainly: “This tower is really going to reposition the city of Jeddah, enhancing its status as a business, cultural, and medical hub.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 cites projects like Jeddah Tower as symbols of a forward-looking Saudi economy. In a statement to Architectural Digest, JEC noted that the tower “will serve as a beacon of innovation and a catalyst for growth”, a physical embodiment of a vision years in the making.

From an engineering perspective, completing a 1,000 m skyscraper is a global milestone. It demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s capabilities in mega-construction. As Design Principal Gordon Gill noted, the tower is part of “a huge master plan” and will eventually “be a city all unto its own, a great catalyst for Jeddah and for the kingdom".

Economists suggest that once open, the tower could להגביר את הכנסות התיירות and spur surrounding developments: luxury hotels, retail centers, and office projects will likely cluster nearby, similar to how the Burj Khalifa transformed Downtown Dubai.

However, there are critics too. The מסיבי השקעה (the Jeddah Economic City is estimated at over SAR 75 billion, roughly $20 billion) carries financial risk if demand falls short. Past delays have also raised questions about feasibility. But for now, the narrative is one of ambition: the project’s promoters emphasize how it signals Saudi Arabia’s emergence on the world stage.

In summary, Jeddah Tower’s impact will be measured in multiple ways. Symbolically, it stands as a modern icon much like the מגדל אייפל or האמפייר סטייט בילדינג once did. Economically, it will generate construction jobs and (eventually) hospitality and commercial revenue.

Whether it achieves all its lofty goals remains to be seen, but its completion will undeniably put Jeddah on the map in a new way, demonstrating Saudi Arabia’s desire to lead in future technologies and infrastructure.

שאלות נפוצות (FAQ)

When will Jeddah Tower be finished?
Current plans target August 2028 for completion. That is the date repeated by the architects and developers in 2025–2026. If on schedule, final occupancy (opening of hotel and observatory) would happen in late 2028.

How tall is Jeddah Tower?
The tower is planned to exceed 1,000 meters (at least 3,281 feet) in architectural height. This makes it the first skyscraper to reach one kilometer. Its exact design height is about 1,008 m.

How many floors does it have?
Jeddah Tower will have 167 floors above ground. (There are also 2 basement levels.) Note that floor numbering may skip some numbers (like 13, 14, etc.), but the total count is 167.

Is Jeddah Tower taller than Burj Khalifa?
Yes. Burj Khalifa currently holds the world record at 828 m. Jeddah Tower will surpass that by about 172–180 meters. In other words, Jeddah Tower will be roughly 564 feet taller than the Burj.

Who is building Jeddah Tower?
The project is developed by the Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), a partnership of Saudi investors including Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding. The lead architect is Adrian Smith (who co-designed the Burj Khalifa), from the firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill. The structural engineering is by Thornton Tomasetti, among others.

Why was construction delayed?
Construction began in 2013 but was halted in January 2018 when the Saudi government purged and dissolved the original contractor (Saudi Binladin Group) over corruption allegations. The delay was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. No work occurred on the tower for several years. Only in late 2023 did development resume with new contractors.

Can I visit Jeddah Tower now?
No, the tower is not open to visitors until it is completed. As of 2026, it remains an active construction site. Tourists must wait until after 2028 to go inside. (However, you can see the tower from outside or take a photo from Jeddah’s Corniche now.)

What will be at Jeddah Tower when it opens?
When finished, the tower will contain a Five-Star hotel (Four Seasons, about 200 rooms) on floors 19–27, luxury apartments, serviced residences, corporate offices, and public attractions. The crown feature will be the sky terrace/observatory at 630 m altitude, the highest of its kind.

Is Jeddah Tower safe in Jeddah’s climate?
Yes, the design accounts for the hot, humid climate. High-tech cooling, special concrete mixtures, and sun-blocking elements of the facade contribute to the building functioning well in the heat of Jeddah and wind storms that sometimes occur. Saudi engineers have experience with skyscrapers in similar environments, so safety and comfort were priorities.

סיכום

Jeddah Tower will be a symbol of the future of Saudi Arabia. Upon its completion, it will be the tallest skyscraper in the world at 1 kilometer tall, an engineering wonder and architectural marvel.

The development of the construction has accelerated over the last few years, and everything indicates that there will be an opening around the year 2028. Until then, visitors to Jeddah can still admire this rising megatall from afar and enjoy the rich culture and sights of the city below.

For travelers, Jeddah Tower promises a unique experience once it opens: imagine sipping coffee 630 meters above the Red Sea at the planet’s highest sky deck.

Until that day, pair your visit with a stroll on the ג'דה מֵסַב, a trip to the historic מחוז אל-בלאד, ותצוגות של ה legendary King Fahd Fountain. Keep an eye on the news as the tower climbs higher; each new floor brings it closer to topping out and making history.

Above all, Jeddah Tower represents Saudi Arabia’s ambition on a global stage. It embodies the country’s Vision 2030 goals of innovation, tourism, and economic diversification. Once finished, it will be a must-see landmark for anyone traveling through the Kingdom.