Description

Essentials about the Burj Khalifa in brief

For many tourists, the Burj Khalifa is the highlight of a trip to Dubai. After all, the skyscraper with its incredible 829.8 meters (incl. antenna) is still the tallest building in the world and, along with the sail-shaped luxury hotel Burj Al Arab, the landmark of Dubai. From the two viewing platforms at 452 and 556 meters, you can enjoy a fantastic view of Dubai’s sea of skyscrapers and houses. And if you want to enjoy an extraordinary meal, you can do so in the world’s highest restaurant.

The records of the Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is a building of superlatives and holds just about every building record: It is not only the tallest building in the world, but also the building with the most floors, the longest elevator, the highest usable floor, the highest roof and the highest observation deck. The top of the building can be seen from over 100 kilometers away on a clear day.

It surpasses the previous record holders, the Taipei 101 skyscraper (508 meters) as the tallest building (height of the building structure), the Willis Tower in Chicago (527 meters) as the absolute tallest building (height to the top of the antenna), and the CN Tower in Toronto (553 meters) as the tallest unbraced structure. Thus, for the first time since the construction of the Empire State Building in New York City in 1931, all the above records for the tallest structure went to a single building again.

The Burj Khalifa is also the world’s tallest building that is also used for residential purposes. The “sad” news: The Burj Khalifa is set to lose the title of the world’s tallest building to the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, whose planned height is around 1,000 meters.

The construction of the Burj Khalifa

Construction work on the Burj Khalifa began in 2004. The final height was reached just five years later and the building was finally officially inaugurated on January 4, 2010. Until the opening, both the height of the tower and the number of floors were kept secret. A small fly in the ointment for the builders of the royal family of Dubai: Actually, the world record tower was supposed to be called Burj Dubai. However, the financial crisis in 2008/09 also affected the family fortune of the Emir of Dubai, so that Sheikh Chalifa bin Zayid Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi stepped in with a financial injection to ensure the completion of the tower. In return, he was allowed to give the tower its name.

The observation decks of the Burj Khalifa

The world’s first Armani hotel has moved into the lower 38 of the general-use 163 floors of the Burj Khalifa. Offices and some suites are located on the floors above. Visitors to the skyscraper usually head straight for the 124th floor of the building, because that’s where the observation deck with the outdoor terrace called “At the Top” is located. Two high-speed elevators take visitors up to 452 meters in just 55 seconds.

Those who want to go even higher can visit the second observation deck called “At the Top Sky” at a height of 556 meters on the 148th floor. It is somewhat more exclusive in design, and drinks and canapés are served. Another advantage is that due to the significantly higher prices, the crowds on the 148th floor are somewhat smaller than on the 124th floor and guests with a ticket for At the Top Sky can use a separate elevator where waiting times are much shorter. Another highlight of the At the Top Sky observation deck is an interactive screen that allows guests to “fly” to various Dubai landmarks. After leaving the 148th floor, another virtual reality animation awaits visitors on the 125th floor, namely the flight of a falcon over Dubai, where you can experience the gigantic city from a bird’s eye view.

Visiting the Burj Khalifa

Incidentally, both the At the Top and At the Top Sky observation decks are oriented to provide a good view of the famous The Dubai Fountain waterworks, which begin daily at 6:00 p.m. in front of the Burj Khalifa. Those who like to dine at lofty heights can do so on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa’s At.Mosphere restaurant, the highest restaurant in the world by the number of floors below.

And last but not least, a tip for visiting the Burj Khalifa: since the world’s tallest building is naturally a very popular tourist attraction, it is advisable to reserve tickets in advance. If you commit to a date and time, you save yourself the queue at the ticket counter and also you don’t run the risk that tickets may already be sold out on the day of your visit.

Website

burjkhalifa.ae

Opening hours

Opening hours At the Top:

Admission fees

* Peak and off-peak times may be subject to change.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Metro line Red: Stop Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall

Bus lines 27, 28, 29, 81, F13 and X22: Stop Dubai Mall

By car:

The nearest parking garages are in the Dubai Mall.