| 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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