King Fahd's Fountain (Arabic: نافورة الملك فهد), also known as the Jeddah Fountain, is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is the tallest fountain of its type in the world.[1] It is named after King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, the ruler of Saudi Arabia from 1982 until 2005.
Overview
The fountain was donated to the city of Jeddah by King Fahd, hence its name. It was constructed between 1980 and 1983 and was launched in 1985.[2]
Located on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, the fountain jets water to a maximum height of 260 metres (853 ft).[3][4][5] The second-tallest is the World Cup Fountain in Seoul, South Korea, with a water height of 202 m (663 ft).
King Fahd's Fountain is listed in Guinness World Records as the highest water fountain in the world.[6]
The fountain is visible throughout the vicinity of Jeddah. The water ejected can reach a speed of 375 km/h (233 mph) and its airborne mass can exceed 16 tonnes (18 short tons).[6] The fountain uses saltwater taken from the Red Sea instead of freshwater. Over 500 LED spotlights illuminate the fountain at night.
History
The fountain was initially built between 1980 and 1983, and was inspired by the Geneva Fountain (length 140 meters, pumping speed 124 mph), but the planners were not satisfied with the height. The fountain was then operated in its current form in 1985 to pump sea water at a speed of 233 miles per hour to a height of 312 meters (1024 feet).
Team Red Bull Air Force base jumper Othar Lawrence set a global record by making a historic jump along the fountain.[7][8]
Design
King Fahd's Fountain at night
The base of the fountain is in the form of a large mabkhara, an incense burner which symbolizes Arabian culture. Since the fountain pumps sea water, rust and corrosion were the main concerns of those who built it. Before reaching the pump, the water passes through several filters to purify it from dirt, sand and organic matter. The fountain is lit by 500 high-light LEDs.
