The Kuwait Towers

The Kuwait Towers, rising gracefully on a promontory of the Gulf waterfront, are the most iconic landmark and enduring symbol of Kuwait City. Completed in 1976 and opened in 1979 and clad in thousands of blue and green enamelled discs, the group of three slender concrete towers, two crowned with distinctive spheres, blends modern engineering with echoes of traditional water towers and Islamic design. The largest holds two spheres: a lower one storing water and serving as a restaurant, and a higher observation sphere that slowly revolves, offering sweeping panoramic views over the sea, the city skyline and the desert beyond. Restored after damage in the 1990-91 Gulf War, they remain a proud national emblem.

History

The towers were designed by the Danish architect Malene Bjørn as part of a water-distribution scheme run by the Swedish engineering firm VBB, whose chief architect Sune Lindström is credited alongside her; they were inaugurated in March 1979. The main tower is 187 metres tall and its lower sphere holds 4,500 cubic metres of water, the second tower is 147 metres, and the third carries lighting rather than water. The Kuwait water towers scheme was among the first winners of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1980. Badly damaged in 1990-1991, the towers later closed for maintenance from March 2012 and reopened on 8 March 2016 (Wikipedia, Kuwait Towers).

What's there

• The observation sphere - the revolving deck with panoramic views.
• The enamelled discs - the blue-green cladding of the towers.
• The waterfront setting - the towers on the Gulf promontory.
• The city skyline - the views over Kuwait City and the sea.

When to go

November to March, the cooler season, for the most comfortable weather to enjoy the waterfront and the views, as Kuwait's summers are among the hottest on earth; the towers and skyline are especially striking in the late afternoon and when floodlit after dark. The observation deck offers the finest panoramas on a clear day.

Good to know

The towers are chiefly an architectural icon and viewpoint rather than an extensive attraction, so a visit centres on the observation deck, café and photographs rather than a long tour, and, like all of Kuwait, they are best avoided in the brutal summer heat. As the graceful, instantly recognisable symbol of Kuwait, though, restored after the Gulf War, with sweeping views from its revolving sphere, the Kuwait Towers are the essential landmark of the city.

Nearby

The Grand Mosque, the Corniche and the old souq of Kuwait City are close by.

Key facts