Located in the heart of the Malaysian capital, the Petronas Towers of Kuala Lumpur were the tallest skyscrapers in the world from 1996 to 2003. The construction of these magnificent twin towers, which cost close to $1.2 billion US, was entirely financed by the national oil company whose name they bear.

The plans drawn up by the architectural firm Cesar Pelli and Associates were executed by two different construction companies— Samsung of Korea and Mitsubishi of Japan—each responsible for erecting one tower. It took almost four and a half years and over 6,000 workers to complete the construction of the prestigious 88 floor towers, each topped with a 73.5 meter (241 foot) antenna, for a total height of 451.9 meters (1,483 feet).

With their arabesques and geometrical designs so characteristic of Islamic architecture, the towers have all the splendors of a modern temple. Their structure, in the shape of an eight-pointed star, is a harmonious blend of points and curves, glass and steel.

The towers are connected at their 41st and 42nd floors by a skybridge 58.4 meters (192 feet) long that weighs some 750 tons. It is held in place by an inverted V-shaped arch, the legs of which are firmly attached to each 29th floor, 170 meters (558 feet) above street level.

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