Mind blowing facts about Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is a popular tourist attraction and towers over the other buildings in the Dubai skyline. Not only is it the world’s tallest building, but it also breaks a host of other records.
The Burj Khalifa stands at a staggering 828 meters (2716.5 feet) tall making it impossible to miss, in fact, the tip of the sphere of the Burj Khalifa can be seen from up to 95 kilometres away. It is nearly twice as tall as the Empire State Building. Its cloud-piercing height is not the only astonishing thing about the Burj Khalifa.
Apart from the fact that it is the tallest, the Burj Khalifa also breaks records like the tallest freestanding structure in the world, highest number of stories in the world, highest occupied floor in the world, highest outdoor observation deck in the world, elevator with longest travel distance in the world, and the tallest service elevator in the world. The temperature difference at the highest point on the Burj Khalifa and ground-level differs by nearly 15°C (59°C).
It took more than 110,000 tons of concrete, 55,000 tons of steel rebar, and 22 million man-hours to complete the Burj Khalifa. To give you a better idea, the weight of the concrete is equivalent to 100,000 elephants and the aluminium used on the Burj Khalifa is equivalent to that of five A380 aircraft. The architecture of Burj Khalifa is inspired by traditional Islamic building designs and by the spider lily, a desert flower cultivated throughout the UAE. We recommend you tour the Burj Khakifa when you’re in Dubai because no words can truly capture the majestic and larger-than-life nature of the structure.
The Burj, unfortunately, will lose its status as the tallest building when the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah opens and there is no word on a completion date. The Kingdom Tower is expected to exceed over 1000 metres compared to Burj Khalifa’s 828 meters.
- The Burj Khalifa is over 828 meters high, making it the tallest building in the world. It’s three times higher than the Eiffel Tower, and twice as high as the Empire State Building in NYC!
- On top of that, it is also the tallest freestanding structure in the world. This record was previously held by the CN Tower.
- With 160 floors, the Burj Khalifa also holds the record of highest number of floors in the world.
- If you like heights, you’ll also be please to know that you can find the highest residential apartment in the Burj Khalifa, at 385 meters!
- Burj Khalifa also houses the world’s highest restaurant – At.mosphere on level 122, where you can dine looking at the city skyline from a height of 441 meters. Naturally, the menu is full of luxury items like wagyu beef, oysters and caviar!
- Burj Khalifa also has the world’s tallest elevator, climbing 504 meters at once, and travelling at a speed of 60 km per hour.
- The world’s highest outdoor observation deck on level 148, where you can admire Dubai from 555 meters height!
Construction required the use of 330,000 cubic meters of concrete, equal to the weight of 100,000 elephants. - The exterior of the Burj Khalifa is covered with 26,000 glass panels, all cut individually by hand.
- Aluminium used to build the Burj Khalifa weighs as much as 5 Airbus A380 airliners
- .The shape of the Burj Khalifa is inspired by traditional Islamic architecture and by the spider lily, a desert flower cultivated throughout the UAE. If you look at the skyscraper from above, you’ll see the similarity!
- Tom Cruise climbed the Burj in Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
- The building was supposed to be called Burj Dubai, but its name was changed to Burj Khalifa to honour Sheikh Khalifa, the ruler of Dubai.
- It takes three months to clean the windows from top to bottom. After having finished, it’s time to start again!
- The tip of the Burj Khalifa can be seen from up to 95 km away on clear days!
- Over 10,000 fireworks were shot from the Burj Khalifa to celebrate its opening in 2010.
- The Burj Khalifa will probably soon lose its many of its ‘highest building in the world’ title. The Kingdom Tower in Jeddah is set to open in 2025, and its height will exceed 1000 meters!
