The 88 storey monsters soar like imperial gatekeepers into the Kuala Lumpur sky, rising 1483 feet and encompassing 32,000 windows. Made from glass and steel they are built on a geometric Islamic pattern – a traditional eight pointed star. You cannot go to the top, but the 192 foot skybridge which links the 41st and 42nd floors of the two buildings is something special. Kuala Lumpar pans out like an old-fashioned lumpy if gleaming tablecloth below, and you will have to pinch yourself to believe the view. Get there early before the rush – visitor numbers are limited strictly each day. Then take a deep breath and take in what what US$1.2 billion worth of building and the summit of man’s architectural imagination feels like.

In both engineering and design, the Petronas Towers succeed at acknowledging Malaysia’s past and future, embracing the country’s heritage while proclaiming its modernization. The end result, says Pelli, is a monument that is not specifically Malaysian, but will forever be identified with Kuala Lumpur.

Height: 1,483 ft (452 meters)
Owners: Kuala Lumpur City Centre Holdings Sendirian Berhad
Architects: Cesar Pelli & Associates
Engineers: Thornton-Tomasetti Engineers
Contractors: Mayjus and SKJ Joint Ventures
Topping Out: 1998
Official Opening: August 28, 1999