Located in the heart of Alor Setar, the Alor Setar Tower or Menara Alor Setar which is 165.5 meters tall is the 19th tallest telecommunication tower in the world. It's a prominent and modern landmark that signifies the rapid development in the state of Kedah. It is also the tallest communications tower in northern peninsula Malaysia and the 2nd tallest tower in Malaysia,after the KL Tower of Kuala Lumpur.
The Alor Setar Tower was destroyed and rebuilt a few times. It was brought down by the Bugis invasion of 1770, and the same happened in the Siamese invasion in 1821. The present structure dates back to 1893, during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah. In 1904, the Menara Alor Setar was the venue of a lavish wedding ceremonies for the Sultan's five eldest sons and daughters. The extravagant affair lasted three months, from June to September, and almost bankrupted the state.
Apart from serving the role of a telecommunication tower, it also caters as a tourist destination for the town. The tower also houses a restaurants and a souvenir shop. The tower is an observatory tower to look for the crescent moon to mark the beginning of Muslim months. The observation deck is at a height of 88 meters from the base of the structure.
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