Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, known globally as MBS, is sparing no imagination in his quest to build one of the most futuristic cities the world has ever seen. Among the many ambitious elements of The Line, a part of the $500 billion Neom megaproject, one feature in particular has captured the curiosity of architecture enthusiasts and sci-fi dreamers alike: what may very well become the world’s largest chandelier. Suspended from the ceiling of a tunnel deep inside The Line’s Hidden Marina district, this architectural marvel is more than a lighting fixture. It is a symbol of scale-defying ambition.
Hidden Marina is the first physical manifestation of The Line. Located on the northern edge of the city, this area will house a subterranean cruise terminal capable of accommodating massive cruise ships. What makes it so remarkable is that the marina is not on the seafront. Instead, a specially engineered tunnel and canal system will guide ships inland, under the city’s towering structures. Rising up to 500 meters in height, The Line’s mirrored walls conceal this underground port, which is expected to be more than twice the size of any existing marina.
Hanging dramatically within this tunnel is the chandelier. While exact details remain tightly guarded, promotional videos and animated renderings offer glimpses of its sheer magnitude. One such clip shows a full-sized cruise ship gliding through the tunnel, dwarfed by a glowing structure overhead. By comparing the ship’s scale with the hanging installation, it is estimated that the chandelier could stretch well beyond 100 meters in length. Such a size would place it far beyond the scale of any chandelier ever constructed. It is not only a decorative element but a monument in itself.
Design-wise, the chandelier breaks away from traditional forms of opulence. There is no trace of crystal droplets or gold embellishments. Instead, the design appears jagged and alien, composed of green geometric shapes that resemble the iconic Kryptonite crystal formations from Superman’s fictional home planet, Krypton. The effect is otherworldly. Its glowing green hue and sharply faceted structure suggest not just modernity but a new aesthetic language. It is one rooted in science fiction, light, and motion. Suspended in the heart of a cruise ship tunnel, this chandelier might eventually serve as a modern lighthouse, guiding vessels through this hidden marina of the future.
Adjacent to this dramatic underground space is yet another bold structure: the Neom Stadium. Revealed as part of Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, this stadium will sit 350 meters above ground, integrated directly into the fabric of The Line. With a seating capacity of 46,000, it is designed to host matches and events during the World Cup before becoming the home of a new Saudi football club.
While architectural specifics remain under wraps, the elevated location means that fans seated in the upper tiers could be treated to an extraordinary view. It offers a vertical panorama that includes the glowing green chandelier of the Hidden Marina far below.
The Line itself continues to boggle the mind. Spanning 170 kilometers (about 105 miles) in length, only 200 meters in width, and rising to a height of 500 meters, the linear city is expected to eventually house nine million residents. Designed to run entirely on renewable energy, the city is being built in modular segments and is envisioned as a car-free, emissions-free zone. Initial costs are estimated to be over $500 billion, with construction already underway. Within this staggering scale, the chandelier in the Hidden Marina is just one among hundreds of visionary components. But its surreal presence, both monumental and symbolic, offers a glowing reminder of the sheer ambition powering MBS’s futuristic desert dream.
