By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: The number of visitors to the Liberation Tower after it reopened has been higher than expected. After announcing the opening of the 150th floor of the Liberation Tower to the public in February, around 500 people visit daily to enjoy the great views of Kuwait City from the observation deck. Liberation Tower stands 372 meters tall and is the second highest tower in Kuwait after Hamra Tower.

Liberation Tower opened in March 1996. "In the early 2000s, we started opening it to the public during the national celebrations. In previous years, it opened only for a few days in February, but this year we decided to welcome visitors during the entire month of February. We also decided to add an exhibition, in addition to enjoying the view," Rasha Al-Duweihi from the maintenance department of Liberation Tower told Kuwait Times.

The exhibition includes images and sketches of Liberation Tower submitted by various artists and photographers. Furthermore, there are models of old telephones used in Kuwait over more than 70 years, as well as other communication machines such as fax machines, operator switchboard, pagers and others. In addition, postal stamps issued by Kuwait since the 1920s are on display.

KUWAIT: Rasha Al-Duweihi speaks to Kuwait Times. - Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

"In the beginning we expected 50 visitors per hour, but we were surprised by the huge interest by the public. According to our statistics, we welcome around 500 visitors daily. We are expecting even higher numbers during the National Day and Liberation Day holidays," stressed Duweihi.

Visitors must book their visit in advance. "The morning period is open for official delegations and diplomats.

The public can visit the tower from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm on weekdays and from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm on weekends. Visitors have to be vaccinated, and entrance is free of charge," she added. "Currently, we plan to welcome visitors till the end of February. Due to the great demand, we may decide to extend the visiting period in future years. We are also considering launching a café at the Tower," Duweihi added.

Liberation Tower consists of four buildings. "It includes the Government Mall, basements, a new main building and the tower. This is the 150th floor (the observation deck); from the 185th till the 200th floors are the technical areas, which includes the telecommunication machines of companies and institutions that are renting these spaces. And on top of that are the antennas. The top of the tower is at 372 meters, with lights for civil aviation," explained Duweihi.