Petronas Twin Towers were once the tallest buildings in the world. Now the world’s tallest twin structures, the 88-storey buildings were designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates with both towers joined at the 41st and 42nd floors (175m above street level) by a 58 metre-long, double-decker Sky Bridge. Standing 452 metres tall, the Petronas Twin Towers retained its world-title claim to fame until 2004 when Taipei’s 101 was built, measuring 508 metres tall. Today, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai (opened in 2010) retains the spot as the world’s tallest building. Located in the KL city centre, the Petronas Twin Towers’ architecture is Islamic-inspired and the buildings primarily house the corporate headquarters of the Petronas Company and other offices.
When the Petronas Twin Towers were completed in 1998 they were declared the tallest buildings in the world, surpassing the 442-metre-tall Willis Tower in Chicago, U.S.A. At the base of the Petronas Twin Towers is Suria KLCC, an upmarket shopping mall that is very popular with tourists. Tower One is fully occupied by the Malaysian state oil company Petronas, and its subsidiaries and associate companies. Tower Two is mostly taken up by multinational companies such as Accenture, Al-Jazeera, Barclays Capital, Bloomberg, Boeing, IBM, McKinsey & Co., Microsoft, Reuters and more.
Fun for Everyone
Stretching out to the side of the Petronas Twin Towers is the spacious and beautifully landscaped KLCC Park which features a jogging track, walking paths, a water fountain and a wading pool for children. Besides the mall and park, the Petronas Twin Towers has a host of other attractions including the Petronas Art Gallery and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Plus the Petrosains Science Centre is here set inside Suria KLCC: it is an interactive science discovery centre showcasing exhibits related to the petroleum industry, from petroleum’s origin in the age of the dinosaurs to its latest oil-based products.
Classical Tour de force
Another one of the Petronas Twin Towers’ most notable features is the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas concert hall, Southeast Asia’s leading venue for classical music. Located in between the two towers, the architectural design of the facility, which has earned praise as one of the world’s best concert halls, is based upon the time-honoured design of 19th century European concert halls. The concert hall has played host to some of the world’s most respected musical talents and is home to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
A View From Above
Set on Level 86 is Petronas Twin Towers’ observation deck, where visitors can get a closeup view of the tower’s spire as well as digital displays and exhibit of the tower’s history. The double-decked Skybridge at the Petronas Twin Towers is one of its major draws as it offers amazing views of the city. Apart from allowing tenants of the towers to move from one building to the other without having to go to ground level, the Skybridge also functions as an emergency exit route. Do note a pass is required to enter the bridge, so make sure to get there early as queues can be long.
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 19:00 (closed for Friday prayers 13:00 – 14:30)
Location: Near Concorde Hotel Monorail stop, in between Jalan Ampang and Jalan Raja Chulan
Source from: http://www.kuala-lumpur.ws/attractions/petronas-twin-tower.htm