Real Reasons to Visit Burj Khalifa Dubai

Dubai is a city that will leave you awestruck with its incredible construction projects. While there are numerous old and upcoming projects in the pipeline, nothing has yet stolen the show from the Burj Khalifa. Known to the world as the tallest building on earth, the Burj Khalifa is the pride and honor of the Emiratis. Standing tall and proud amongst all the skyscrapers of the city, the Burj Khalifa offers an experience like no other. Here are the real reasons for visiting the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

World Records

Apart from being the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa has several other world records on its name. It owns the titles of being the tallest free-standing structure in the world (828 meters), the highest occupied floor in the world (160 habitable stories), the highest number of stories in the world (200+ stories) and the highest observation deck in the world (148th floor). The Burj Khalifa height is double the size of New York's Empire State building and thrice the size of Paris' Eiffel Tower.

Heavy Construction Materials

To construct the 828 meters tall building that has more than 200 stories, it took more than 333,000 cubic meters of concrete mix, 39,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement, 103,000 square meters of glass and 15,500 square meters of stainless steel. To make the calculations simpler for you, it can be said that the concrete used for the construction weighs the same as 100,000 elephants while the weight of the aluminum is equivalent to five A380 aircraft.

Construction Time and Man Power

It took six years to complete the construction of the Burj Khalifa. The construction began in January 2004 and ended on January 2010. Moreover, it took 12,000 workers (every day) and 22 million man-hours to complete this gigantic building.

Shaped like a Flower

The solid structure made of glass and steel has been designed in the form of a delicate flower: the Hymenocallis. The Y-shaped structure of the building not only gives the building a unique design but also a stable configuration to its core structure. The central core of the structure runs to the top and extends into a sculpted spire. If you look up from the foot of the Burj Khalifa, the top resembles an onion dome, which is prevalent in Islamic architecture.

Can Be Seen From Far

Being the tallest building in the city, the Burj Khalifa is never far from anywhere you go in Dubai. In fact, the tip of the building can be seen from a distance of 95 km. It is probably the first thing that you would see as your airplane lands in Dubai.

Observation Decks - Unbelievable Views

The major attractions of the Burj Khalifa are its observation decks, and there are three here. Quite popular amongst tourists, the first two observation decks (At The Top) are located on the 124th and 125th floors. These 360o observation decks offer an incredible view of the city. Telescopes are scattered around the observation decks to give you a closer look at the premium landmarks of the city. However, if you want to have a slightly private or luxurious experience, you must opt for the observation deck on the 148th floor (The Sky Lounge). It is the highest observation deck in the world. The entry tickets to the Sky Lounge are expensive but worth it. The place is more private and less crowded. Moreover, you get access to the 125th floor as well with this ticket.

The observation decks are open from 10 AM to 11 PM. However, the best time to visit is between 4 PM to 6 PM, as you get to witness a magical sunset during this time. During the winter season, you can also visit the Burj Khalifa observation deck to witness a brilliant sunrise.

Fastest and Tallest Elevators

The elevators of Burj Khalifa run at the speed of 10 meters per second, making them some of the fastest elevators in the world. You would reach the 124th floor in just 1 minute from the ground floor. The building also has the tallest service elevator in the world. It also has the longest single running elevator on earth (which runs till the 140th floor).

Epitome of Luxury

Dubai is the epitome of luxury and the tallest building in the world is the finest example of the same. The Burj Khalifa is home to the luxurious Armani Hotel. Covering the first eight floors as well as the 38th and 39th floors of the Burj, Armani Hotel, with its muted gray interiors, lush fabrics, beautiful wooden floors, private butler services and soft monogrammed robes, is fit for royalty. Apart from this, there is an atmosphere restaurant. Located on the 122nd floor of the building, this is the highest restaurant in the world. Aside from offering incredible views of the city, the restaurant is known for its brilliant menu of exclusive dishes and signature drinks. The Burj Khalifa also has premium residential units and corporate offices.

Additional Reasons to Visit Burj Khalifa

• The Burj Khalifa has an amazing art collection adorning its walls. You would get to see more than 1000 artworks of Arabic as well as internationally acclaimed artists here. Most of the paintings were commissioned specially for the building.
• Right next to the Burj Khalifa is the enormous Dubai Mall, one of the largest malls in the world. The mall has more than 1200 stores and numerous entertaining attractions. Moreover, if you want to visit the observation deck, you need to use the entrance located on the ground floor of the Dubai Mall.
• Right outside the Burj Khalifa is the huge Burj Lake, which performs the most beautiful Dubai Fountain show every evening, multiple times.
• On a clear day, you would not only get to see the entire city but also the border of Iran as well.

The Burj Khalifa has awed people around the world for the last 10 years and would continue to do so for years to come. This is one attraction that you should not miss visiting while in Dubai.