Jeddah King Fahed Fountain

King Fahd's Fountain ( نافورة الملك فهد‎) is a fountain located in the Sea-side of the city Jeddah, Saudi Arabia named for King Fahd. It is the tallest fountain in the world, with water achieving a maximum height of 312m (1023ft). Each of the three massive pumps deliver 625 litres (165 gallons) of water per second. The water is propelled through 126mm (5 inch) nozzles at an incredible speed of 375 km/h (233 mph).

The Jeddah Fountain, also known as King Fahd's Fountain is one of the most striking landmarks of the city of Jeddah. A riveting attraction, the Jeddah Fountain is a prominent feature of the city skyline.

Built to complement the magnificence of the Salam Palace, the Jeddah Fountain is a spectacle in the Arabian Gulf. Unlike most other fountains around the world, which operate on freshwaters, Jeddah Fountain makes use of seawater.

The salinity and arenaceous qualities of seawater posed numerous hurdles in the construction of the Jeddah Fountain. The resistance of water flow could be best countered by using huge pumps and pipes close to the jet of the fountain. However, these pipes were not to be displayed to public, and hence came the idea of placing them under the water.

The pump house and electrical substation of the Jeddah Fountain were constructed on a submersible barge which was about 90 meters in length. All the support structure for the mountain was built in another town, in accordance with the needs of the project.

After completion, these structures were assembled for the Jeddah Fountain and towed to Jeddah where the seabed had been leveled for this purpose. In order to blend with the surroundings, all the machinery of the fountain has been placed about 30 meters under the water.

Jeddah Fountain operates with the help of three centrifugal and 18 auxiliary pumps of 3.5 MW each. Every second, these 18 pumps deliver 625 liters of water each. Two of the main pumps jet the water at the same time, delivering 1,250 liters per second.

On a calm day, seawaters jet up to a height of 312 meters (1,024 feet approx.) from the Jeddah Fountain. The plume of this fountain is supposedly taller than the magnificent Eiffel Tower of Paris. This plume of water weighs more than 18,750 kilograms when hanging in the air for about 15 seconds.

Stringent maintenance measures and excellent planning have made the Jeddah Fountain one of the most incredible attractions in Saudi Arabia. It is truly an ode to architectural brilliance.

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