King Fahd's Fountain (Jeddah Saltwater Geyser)

Soaring majestically into the sky off the western coast of Jeddah, King Fahd's Fountain holds the undisputed Guinness World Record as the tallest fountain on Planet Earth. Operating since 1985, this engineering marvel uses specialized high-pressure pumps to propel Red Sea saltwater up to 312 meters (1,024 feet) into the air—higher than the structural height of the Eiffel Tower (excluding its antenna). At any given moment, more than sixteen tons of water are suspended airborne, ejected from the nozzles at speeds reaching 375 kilometers per hour. To combat the corrosive effects of saltwater, the pumps are housed in specialized submerged chambers engineered with anti-rust alloys. When illuminated after sunset by more than five hundred high-powered spotlights, the colossal column of water glows like a celestial plume against the nocturnal Red Sea. Strolling along the adjacent corniche with a cup of mint tea while the saltwater mist catches the sea breeze is an essential Jeddah ritual.