The Burj Khalifa skyscraper is the most majestic building in the world. Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai: ticket prices and tips Uae tallest building in the world
Would you like to touch the clouds? I think so, since you opened this article Burj Khalifa attracts many tourists to Dubai. Sometimes they go there just for her sake. Even just tourists, not romantics or dreamers, cannot ignore the famous tower. It will be an eyesore, feeling like a mirage in the light haze of the hot Dubai air.
Yes, its height is amazing, but did you think that this is where its unusualness ends? After all, everyone is just talking about height? Let's figure out whether it's worth spending money on expensive tickets and how to save money if you decide to climb it.
Burj Khalifa: what's special about it?
In 2018, the Burj Khalifa (aka Burj Dubai) is still considered the tallest building in the history of mankind - 828 meters and 163 floors. Tourists cannot go up to the very top floor.
The highest level available to tourists is located on the 148th floor - Observation deck"at the Top Sky". But most tourists limit themselves to visiting the “at the Top” site on the 124th–125th floor. Why?
The Burj Khalifa Tower is, first of all, a business center with offices and apartments, almost half of which are empty. Neither foreigners nor locals want to live behind glass and concrete. The infrastructure of the tower is well developed.
Outdoor area At the Top
On the 1st to 39th floors there is one of the best business hotels in the world - Armani 5*, the design and interior of which was personally developed by Giorgio Armani.
At.mosphere on the 122nd floor is far from the most sophisticated restaurant in Dubai in terms of interiors and cuisine. The main feature is the panoramic views of the city, and that’s why they don’t come here to dine. But more on that later.
In addition, Burj Dubai broke records for the highest swimming pool (level 76), nightclub (144) and mosque (158). All this beauty is served by 57 elevators, only one of which rises directly from the first floor to the last.
Don't forget that in Burj Khalifa, like in any other public place.
Ticket prices and how to save
It doesn’t matter as part of an excursion or on your own, you have to pay to climb the Burj Khalifa. Many people find the cost of admission unreasonably high.
The cheapest excursion to Burj Dubai (level 124–125 at sunset) that I found cost $65 per person. This price includes the climb to the observation deck, WiFi in the tower and binoculars.
During the excursion, everything is clear - tickets will be issued for you. During an independent inspection, you can buy a ticket yourself on the Russian-language website sputnik8.ru, preferably at home.
Tickets at the entrance to the tower are significantly more expensive than through the website. Tickets can be purchased no earlier than 30 days in advance. For upcoming dates, prices are significantly higher than in 4 or more days.
At the foot of the Burj Khalifa are the famous “singing fountains” and the Dubai Mall Note! Tickets on the site must be paid with your personal card! That is, the one on which your last and first name are written. Take it with you. When receiving tickets at the box office, along with an electronic printed confirmation, you may be asked bank card, with whom the transaction took place, and check your full name with your passport!
The entrance and ticket office to the Burj Khalifa are located, oddly enough, in the Dubai Mall on the GF floor (where the parking is). In the Dubai Mall, At the Top is indicated everywhere, so it’s possible to get lost, but it’s difficult. At the entrance to the tower you will be asked for tickets. If you purchased your tickets online, they will tell you where to pick them up.
When planning an excursion, be sure to take into account the weather forecast. In fog or a dust storm it is unlikely that you will be able to enjoy the views. When getting up at sunset/dawn, take into account the time of sunset/dawn itself. And then there were incidents
Even though the Burj Khalifa does not participate in, I highly recommend checking it out. An ordinary average family of three saves at least 250 USD per week on food and entertainment with its help.
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At the Top, Burj Khalifa
The At the Top observation deck is located on floors 124 and 125. Ticket prices:
| At the Top Ticket | from 09.00 to 15.30 and from 18.30 to 23:00 | from 16.00 to 18.00 |
| Adult from 12 years old | 141 AED | 221 AED |
| Children from 4 to 11.99 years | 111 AED | 181 AED |
| Children up to 4 years old | for free | for free |
The cost of tickets depends on the time of rise (from 9:00 to 23:00, every half hour).
During the daytime they are the cheapest. As for me, there is nothing to do there during the day. The gray faded city does not make the right impression. The only advantage of a daytime visit is the absence of queues, and even then not always.
The time you stay inside doesn't matter. That is, you can buy a ticket for 11 am and spend the whole day on the observation deck. Nobody will kick you out. There's just not much to do there. There is no cafe/restaurant on the observation deck, there is not even anywhere to sit - everyone sits on the floor. As a result, tourists do not stay at the sites for more than two hours.
The best time to visit the tower is sunset hours (from 16:00 to 18:00). They are also the most expensive and popular - while waiting for the rise, guests of the tower can stand in line for an hour and a half. However, I recommend this particular time, so you will see both daytime Dubai and evening Dubai with its lights and fountain shows.
A small and logical life hack to save money - take the rise at 15:30. You will have to wait a long time, but the savings are not bad. I don’t recommend taking the latest evening time, but it’s still better than a purely “daytime” time. After seven or eight in the evening it is much more interesting to be down at the Fountains than at the tower.
At the Top, Burj Khalifa SKY
The SKY observation deck is located on the 148th floor. Cost of visit:
| Ticket At the Top SKY | from 19:00 to 22:00 | from 09:30 to 18:00 |
| Adult from 12 years old | 375 AED | 530 AED |
| Children from 4 to 12 years old | 375 AED | 530 AED |
| Children up to 4 years old | for free | for free |
For this money, guests of the tower have access to both the 148th floor and 125-124. However, you won’t be able to move between them without hindrance - first 148, then descending to 124–125. The time spent at the observation decks is not limited.
The features of this program include not only the height of the level, but also accompaniment by a tour guide + a welcome drink and cake in Lounge SKY. In addition, level 148 is more suitable for long waits - there are quite enough sofas and armchairs.
At the Top SKY is significantly smaller than the sites on levels 124–125, but there are not many people here.
The Lounge, Burj Khalifa
The world's tallest lounge opened in Burj Khalifa in February 2019. It is located on floors 152, 153 and 154, that is, almost 30 floors above the main observation deck At The Top and 4 above the SKY platform.
The Lounge is not an observation deck in the traditional sense, although the views are excellent and there is also an open area. This place is primarily created for a pleasant pastime and communication: guests are offered soft drinks, tea, coffee, champagne (in the evenings), as well as snacks and desserts. After sunset there are live music performances.
Prices are high, but if you have the money, it's worth a visit. Entrance tickets can also be purchased on the Burj Khalifa website (prices per person regardless of age):
| Program | Time | |
| Tea in the clouds | 12:30 – 14:30 | 15:00 – 17:00 |
| AED 600 | AED 600 | |
| Bubbly Sundowner | 17:30 – 19:00 | |
| AED 649 | ||
| Cocktails under the stars | 19:30 – 21:00 | 21:30 – 00:00 |
| AED 600 | AED 600 | |
Additional services and excursions
In addition to direct tickets to the observation decks, you can purchase excursions on the official website:
- Dubai Ferry ( boat trip from Marina to Shindaga, Bur Dubai) - from 50 AED;
- Museum of History of the Emirates Etihad Museum - from 25 AED;
- Dubai Fountain: an evening walk on a traditional abra boat around dancing fountains - 68.25 AED;
- from a floating platform (Boardwalk) - from 20 AED;
- At the Top (hereinafter referred to as ATT) at sunset + Boardwalk fountains - from 155 AED;
- ATT + aquarium in Dubai Mall - from 190 AED;
- ATT+ lunch at Armani Deli restaurant - from 295 AED;
- ATT + dinner on the roof of The Burj Club restaurant overlooking the fountains - from 275 AED;
- ATT at sunrise with breakfast (Fridays and Saturdays) - from 135 AED;
- Fast track access to the At the Top observation deck - from 315 AED.
At.mosphere: restaurant and lounge
I often hear from tourists that instead of the Burj Khalifa observation decks, it is more profitable to visit the At.mosphere restaurant or lounge on the 122nd floor. In principle, I even agree, but with an amendment - it’s more profitable not in terms of money, but in terms of atmosphere.
Restaurant At.mosphere This is a prestigious place for lunch with business partners or a romantic dinner. There are no “random” people here. To achieve this, At.mosphere not only has a strict dress code, but also a minimum order amount rule:
The Restaurant Atmosphere:
- breakfast: set - 350 AED; a la carte - 200 AED;
- lunch: 220 AED regardless of table location;
- dinner: 880 AED for tables by the window, 580 AED for others.
At.mosphere Lounge:
- lunch: 250 AED for tables by the window, unlimited for others;
- afternoon tea: AED 515 for window tables, AED 440 for others.
In addition, there are restrictions on the age of guests. Lounge: from 12:00 to 17:00 children over 10 years old are allowed. From 17:00 to 02:00 over 21 years of age. Restaurant: breakfast - no age restrictions. Lunch and dinner - over 10 years.
As you can see, the amounts are substantial. But those who come here to “show off” and “for show” are far from poor people. Should observation decks be replaced by an At.mosphere restaurant or lounge? If funds allow, then I think it’s possible.
Is it worth going up to the Burj Khalifa observation decks themselves? As for me, you should only go up if you have “extra” money. Rarely is a tourist truly delighted with what he sees. For the price of tickets, everyone expects something “Wow”, but somehow it doesn’t work out. Therefore, I shift the answer to you - I really don’t know whether you will like it or not
DownTown and Burj Khalifa: video
I recommend watching a very cool video review of the DownTown area (where the Burj Khalifa is located) from the YouTube channel MilesAway. There is no point in looking at just one tower, as there are many equally interesting places around. Flower Park in Dubai: what is it, where is it located, how much does it cost 
La Perle by Dragone show in Dubai: is it worth the money?
The Burj Khalifa Tower is the landmark that absolutely all tourists arriving in Dubai see. The fact is that the highest this moment building in the world is visible from anywhere in Dubai, so it is simply impossible not to see it.
We dedicate this huge article to the most iconic building in Dubai. But before moving on to the story of this building, we will present to you the basic facts about the Burj Khalifa tower.
Facts about Burj Khalifa:
Cost: $1.5 billion
Developer: EmaarProperties
Design: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Type: Skyscraper
Height: 829.84 meters
How many floors: 162
Construction of the Burj Khalifa tower
Burj Khalifa, formerly known as Burj Dubai, is located in the center of Dubai, UAE and has a height of 829.84 meters. It is the tallest man-made structure in the world. The Burj Khalifa is a stunning work of art and an incomparable feat of engineering.
Burj Khalifa is part of a new development called Downtown Dubai. It is located on Sheikh Zayed Road, very close to Dubai's main business district. The developer of this tower is Emaar Properties, and the construction of the tower was carried out by Skidmore and Owings & Merrill. Samsung C&T company from South Korea, which also built the Taipei 101 and Petronas Twin Towers, was the main contractor for the project. The Belgian group Besix and the UAE company Arabtec were the main subcontractors.
Construction of the project began on September 21, 2004. The $1.5 billion tower has been renamed Burj Khalifa, in honor of the UAE's critically supportive President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Excavation work on the Burj Khalifa began in January 2004, and already 1,325 days after the start earthworks Burj Khalifa has become the tallest building in the world.
More than 45,000 cubic meters of concrete weighing more than 110,000 tons were used to build the foundation, which has 192 piles buried to a depth of more than 50 meters. Construction of the Burj Khalifa required more than 22 million man-hours, 380 skilled engineers, more than 330,000 cubic meters of concrete and 39,000 tons of steel reinforcement.
The construction of the Burj Khalifa was carried out using special mixtures of concrete so that the building could withstand extreme loads. The consistency of the concrete used in the project was a very important aspect, since it was impossible to forget about the high temperatures that are observed in the UAE in the summer, when the thermometer sometimes creeps up to 50° C. Therefore, the concrete could not be poured during the day - it was necessary to wait until the night, when the air became cooler and the humidity became slightly higher.
World records of the Burj Khalifa tower
The Burj Khalifa has set a number of world records. In July 2007, upon completion of the 141st floor, the tower was named the tallest building in the world, while in September 2007, upon completion of the 150th floor, it was named the tallest free-standing structure in the world. After this, in April 2008, upon completion of the 160th floor, the tower was named the tallest man-made structure in the world, and in January 2009, the construction of the Burj Khalifa was completed with the installation of a spire.
Although the tower was completed in January 2009, work on the external cladding took almost another year, so the official opening ceremony of the tower took place only in January 2010.
Burj Khalifa also has several other world records to its credit, such as "tallest glass façade installation", "highest floor in the world", "highest outdoor observation deck in the world", "elevator with longest travel distance in world."
Burj Khalifa has the world's tallest outdoor observation deck, the world's tallest mosque, the world's tallest night club, the world's highest restaurant and the second largest swimming pool in the world.
Burj Khalifa has numerous awards to its credit, such as "Best High-Rise Building in the Middle East and Africa" and " Best Project year in the Middle East."
Residences at Burj Khalifa
Residences at Burj Khalifa are one of the most prestigious types of real estate. This tower has more than 900 residences, including studios, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments.
The residences are located on floors 19 to 108 and offer a rich range of amenities. For example, there is a huge fitness room, indoor/outdoor pools, hot tub, community room for meetings and events, resident library, cigar club, gourmet market, gourmet store, meeting place for residents and valet parking for guests and visitors. Residences at Burj Khalifa offer an experience of city life in at its best. They offer all the amenities of a metropolis, complemented by the amenities and security of an exclusive community.
The Burj Khalifa fitness club is open not only to residents of the residences, but also to the general public. The four-story fitness club includes amenities such as two luxurious swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), two gyms, a women-only gym and a state-of-the-art spa.
Each suite at Burj Khalifa is equipped with the most advanced digital and telecommunications amenities. There are special fiber optic lines here that can offer Internet access speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second. Additionally, visitors can expect uninterrupted cellular service even while riding the elevator.
Security at Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa Tower is protected by a proprietary security system and a team of highly trained security professionals who are ready to ensure security, privacy and peace of mind. Security managers and security guards patrol the floors of the building and the streets around it around the clock. Thanks to security technology, access to elevators is sometimes limited.
Additionally, Burj Khalifa has a home automation system that allows residents to access an automated environment for home lighting, temperature, security and more. The system helps you access a variety of services, view account statements and pay for services.
Downtown Dubai
The most high building in the world, the Burj Khalifa Tower is located among Emaar's flagship community in Dubai, namely in the Downtown Dubai area.
Downtown Dubai, located on Sheikh Zayed Road, close to the Toyota Flyover building, offers an unparalleled lifestyle for guests and local residents with various shopping facilities ranging from the world's largest shopping and entertainment center Dubai Mall and ending with the atmospheric Souq Al Bahar. Overall, Downtown Dubai is a lifestyle destination with a great mix of traditional and modern facilities.
Visitors can use the Dubai Metro or taxi to reach the city center. The period from November to March is best time to visit Downtown Dubai as the weather is more pleasant at this time. However, if you decide to head here during the hot summer months, there is air conditioning on almost every corner, and even on the buses.
Main attractions near Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa Park
Designed by leading architects SWA Group, the park features six water features, palm tree walkways, gardens and flowering trees. The Burj Khalifa tower is located at the very center of this park, and at the base of this tower you will see a series of pools and fountains. All the railings, benches and signs depict images of the Burj Khalifa and the desert flower.
Plants and shrubs in the park are watered by a condensation collection system that the building uses for its cooling system. Hot and humid air during cooling forms water, which is stored in the basement of the parking lot. In a year, nearly 15 million gallons of water are produced from the air, which is equivalent to the volume of water in 20 Olympic swimming pools.
Within the Burj Khalifa Park you will also find two tennis courts, a splash pool and a children's playground.
Dubai Mall
The Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall in the world in terms of total area, but it is also the fifth largest shopping center in terms of total leasable area. Part of the Burj Khalifa complex, the shopping center offers 1,200 stores. Among the attractions that can be found in this mall, we can highlight the world's largest Gold Market with more than 220 shops, Galeries Lafayette, interesting waterfall, indoor theme park SEGA, 22-screen Cineplex, which is the largest in Dubai, retractable roof and much more. The shopping center also includes a 250-room luxury hotel, 120 restaurants and cafes and 14,000 parking spaces.
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
Strategically located in the heart of the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium is one of the largest indoor aquariums of its kind in the world. It was even officially included in the Guinness Book of Records, as it has the largest acrylic panel in the world.
The Underwater Zoo at The Dubai Mall offers visitors the opportunity to see one of the most diverse collections of marine life in the world. The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo has over 33,000 aquatic animals, including many sharks and rays.
Dubai Ice Rink
The Olympic size skating rink at The Dubai Mall is a multi-purpose venue that can accommodate over 2,000 guests. There is even an ice skating accessories store next to this skating rink.
SEGA Republic
SEGA Republic is the first indoor theme park in Dubai, located inside the Dubai Mall. The sprawling theme park offers attractions such as the Sonic Bunker, Free Fall and over 150 attractions and games spread across five themed zones namely Adventure Zone, Speed Zone, Sports Zone, Redemption Zone and Cyberpop Zone.
Developed by Emaar Retail and SEGA Corporation, the SEGA Republic theme park offers visitors an exciting and unforgettable experience. It is located on the 2nd floor, between Reel Cinemas and Kidzania, and is open from 10am to 1am.
Kidzania
Kidzania is an educational and entertainment center that offers children aged 4 to 15 years of age fun in this mini-city, which has an area of about 80,000 sq.m. There are real streets, shops, buildings in which children can live their dreams. They can choose one of 70 professions, such as race car driver, pilot, policeman, firefighter, doctor, etc.
In other words, Kidzania is a small copy of a real city for children.
Cinemas
The 22-screen cinema complex at The Dubai Mall is one of the largest in Dubai. Here you can see a number of the latest international blockbusters, including 3D films.
As one of the largest THX-certified cinema complexes in the UAE, The Dubai Mall Cinema Complex offers visitors a next-dimensional cinema experience. In addition, it has a special room where you will find luxurious seating.
Hotels near Burj Khalifa
In addition to the ultra-luxurious Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa, you will find several more excellent hotels near this tower. All of these hotels offer essential amenities for meetings and event planning.
Armani Hotel
Situated in the world's tallest building, the iconic Burj Khalifa, high above Downtown Dubai, the Armani Hotel is the world's first hotel to be designed by Giorgio Armani.
Every detail in the hotel bears the Armani signature. The hotel is located in the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper and occupies the 8th, 38th and 39th floors. The Armani Hotel in Dubai offers stunning views of the city. This hotel is easy to reach as it offers its own dedicated tower entrance and is within walking distance of the largest shopping mall in the world.
The Armani Hotel offers its clients eight restaurants with a wide range of world cuisines: from Indian and Japanese cuisines to authentic Italian cuisine. In addition, in this hotel you will find a large and very famous spa center that offers a unique and excellent service for personalized treatment, personal trainer services and many other services and amenities.
Address Downtown Dubai
Address Downtown Dubai is a five-star hotel located close to the Burj Khalifa, the stunning fountain and the famous Dubai Mall.
Address Downtown Dubai offers 196 rooms, 626 serviced apartments and 25 suites across its 63 floors. In addition, this hotel near Burj Khalifa offers wide choose fine dining, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, fully equipped fitness center, swimming pools, health club and many other amenities.
The Palace
The Palace Hotel is located in close proximity to the Dubai Fountains and Burj Khalifa. It has 242 rooms, 3 restaurants and bars serving regional and international cuisine. Managers at each restaurant at The Palace ensure guest satisfaction and offer personalized service.
The Palace features a full-service spa, health club, outdoor pool, steam room and sauna, pool bar, fitness center and many other amenities.
Al Manzil
Situated in the prestigious Downtown area, Al Manzil Hotel is a popular destination for business travelers to Dubai for business. Al Manzil Hotel is located in the heart of Dubai, just a 5-10 minute walk from Burj Khalifa. It features several luxury restaurants, a Parisian-style boardwalk, an outdoor decked pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center and much more.
Qamardeen
Situated relatively close to the Burj Khalifa, the Qamardeen Hotel offers a wide range of amenities and entertainment for its guests, with 13 Executive Suites, 123 Queens and 48 Double Rooms. Facilities at the Qamardeen Hotel include TV and internet services, meeting rooms, fully equipped rooms and a 24-hour business centre.
On the leisure front, Qamardeen Hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, a bar and café, a rooftop terrace and a concierge desk.
Burj Khalifa Observation Deck
The outdoor observation deck, called At the Top, was opened on January 5, 2010 on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. This is the third highest open observation deck in the world, located at an altitude of 452 meters. You will probably ask why we said at the beginning of the article that the tower has the highest observation deck? The fact is that there really is such a platform in the Burj Khalifa tower. It was opened relatively recently on the 148th floor. The height of this site is 555 meters, making it the highest in the world.
The observation deck of the Burj Khalifa tower has a telescope, complemented by a special device that allows visitors not only to look at the surrounding landscape in real time, but also to view previously saved images.
The journey to the observation deck begins on the first level of the Dubai Mall. Throughout the journey, visitors will be able to watch a multimedia presentation of the history of Dubai and the marvelous Burj Khalifa. A typical visit to the site lasts almost an hour, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the views of the surrounding area.
Visitors can purchase tickets in advance for a specific date and time and receive discounts. The observation deck is open from 10am to 10pm from Sunday to Wednesday and from 10am to midnight from Thursday to Saturday.
Fountains near Burj Khalifa
The world famous fountains are located right in the large artificial lake near the Burj Khalifa. Designed by Californian company WET Design, the fountains cost Dh800 million. They are illuminated with 6,600 lights and 50 color spotlights. During the fountain show, jets of water here can soar to a height of over 200 meters. These fountain "dances" are accompanied by classical, modern or Arabic music.
The world's largest fountains at the Burj Khalifa have attracted more than 50 million visitors since their launch in May 2009. The Dubai Fountain can spray about 22,000 gallons of water into the air at one time. The main control room of the Dubai Fountains is located on the upper level of the adjacent Dubai Mall.
Fountain shows usually take place at 13:00 and 13:30, and every 30 minutes from 18:00 to 22:00 on weekdays and from 18:00 to 23:00 on weekends (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).
Address: UAE, Dubai
Start of construction: 2004
Completion of construction: 2010
Height: 828 m
Author of the project: Adrian Smith
Coordinates: 25°11"48.9"N 55°16"26.7"E
Short description
After the United United Arab Emirates petrodollars flowed like a stormy river, allowing the country to become one of the richest in the world in just a few years; officials, as well as ordinary local residents, developed an irresistible craving for luxury.
Burj Khalifa skyscraper at night
The UAE should have the best, the most beautiful and the biggest. The prefix “most” has become a kind of motto for all seven Emirates that are part of the federal state. The majestic skyscraper Burj Khalifa in the city of Dubai, built in just six years and breaking a huge number of world records, can easily be considered confirmation of the above.
The official opening of the city within the city took place in January 2010. To be fair, it is worth noting that the economic crisis also affected the UAE: under favorable conditions and sufficient funding, the skyscraper would have been opened in early autumn 2009. The height of the skyscraper, which with its appearance puts a tourist who comes to Dubai for the first time into silent shock, is 828 meters! The number of floors of this tallest building on our planet is 163. Even during the construction of the skyscraper, it was supposed to be called “Burj Dubai”, which translated into Russian means “Dubai Tower”. “Such a majestic building should be called majestic, and not simply, as was previously planned. From now on the most tall skyscraper in the world will bear the name of our great caliph Khalifa ibn Zaid al-Nahyan. Forever is the greatest architectural structure is being named Burj Khalifa!” said Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, in his fiery speech at the opening ceremony.
General view of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper
History of construction
In between falconry, jeep racing in the desert and shopping for popular elders football clubs Europe, which, by the way, rich sheikhs casually call “football shopping”, influential government officials decided to build something in the UAE that would attract the attention of the entire world community. This is how the idea of building the largest skyscraper in the world, Burj Khalifa, was born. The authoritative architectural bureau, which since 1936 has proven itself only with best sides- Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The author of this unique project was Adrian Smith, who became famous for his skyscraper project in the Middle Kingdom. True, the height of the Chinese building was “only” “some” 420 meters. Smith had to break his own record, and not just beat it, but exceed it exactly twice.
It was decided to make the shape of the skyscraper asymmetrical: this would allow such a giant not to sway from gusts of wind, which are already quite noticeable at an altitude of 600 meters. It was also planned to decorate the entire building with special thermal panels, which would reduce the cost of electricity consumption from air conditioning. The thing is that the temperature in Dubai often rises above + 52 degrees Celsius. The building had to be supported by a foundation with so-called hanging piles, the length of which, according to the project, was 45 meters!
View of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in night illumination
After tenders, the construction division of Samsung was entrusted with the implementation of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper project. In 2004, a construction project of a grandiose scale began: the construction of the object, which in its appearance resembles a picture from a science fiction film about the distant future, proceeded at a rate of 2 floors per week. If difficulties arose during the work, often 10 days were not enough to construct one floor. The thing is that the skyscraper was built taking into account all the climatic and geological features of Dubai. For example, for the construction of a building, a special grade of concrete was developed that could withstand air temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. The solution was mixed only at night and pieces of ice were always added to the water.
Human factor
The construction employed more than 12,000 workers, the vast majority of whom worked for pennies and lived in horribly unsanitary conditions. The salary of an ordinary builder was no more than $4 a day; a skilled worker received a little more - about $7 a day. The designers knew Murphy's Law well: “No construction in the world will fit within the pre-planned budget.” And the budget was truly huge: $1.5 billion, it had to be somehow adhered to, so the companies decided to save on labor.
It was in such agony that the most majestic building to date was born. Many workers from South Asian countries could not stand this hard labor and often went on strike, although they returned to work the next day. They took out their anger after a hard day or night on the way to the barracks: broken windows of cars and shops, damaged fountains. The UAE authorities announced the amount of damage: the city lost about a million dollars from the “inappropriate” behavior of the builders. However, construction, like strikes, is already a thing of the past: at the moment, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper is the most majestic, comfortable and, undoubtedly, the most beautiful high-rise building in the whole world.
Gossip
While the construction of the skyscraper, which later became known as the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, was underway, rumors constantly arose in the world. The architectural bureau did not divulge secrets. And as it turned out later, until the last moment the designers were not sure at what height they would stop. Some assumed that the building would have a height of 705 meters, others bet that the skyscraper would be built at least a kilometer high. As it turned out, construction was stopped on the 163rd floor only because managers were afraid of difficulties with the sale of space. Although, after the opening of the building, the entire area of the skyscraper, which amounts to 344,000 square meters, despite the outbreak of the economic crisis, was purchased by various organizations and individuals.
In the Burj Khalifa skyscraper
Even when approaching this building, it seems that it goes into the sky. At its foot, an artificial lake with an area of almost 12 hectares amazes the imagination. It houses a unique fountain, the jets of which are illuminated by more than 6,500 lamps and 50 huge color spotlights. Such lighting turns jets of water “soaring” 150 meters into the air into a truly fantastic spectacle. Entering the building itself, it is impossible not to enjoy the amazing microclimate created by special ventilation and air conditioning systems. When designing them, all the features of the human body were taken into account, so the comfort that you feel in the Burj Khalifa is difficult to describe in words. Moreover, the air here is filled with an aroma that was also developed specifically for this skyscraper. The building is filled with a light, non-intrusive aroma using membranes.
Inside the city there is a huge hotel in the city where any visitor to Dubai who is not used to scrupulously calculating his budget can stay. The design of the hotel was developed by the legendary Giorgio Armani for quite some time. Naturally, the complex houses a huge number of offices, so it is rightfully considered the business center of one of the best cities UAE.
Fragment of a skyscraper
The skyscraper also has residential premises: there are 900 of them in total. It is interesting that the hundredth floor of the building was completely purchased by the Indian billionaire Shetty. There are three huge apartments there, with total area 1500 square meters. According to eyewitnesses who were lucky enough to visit the “hundredth” floor of the Burj Khalifa, everything there is immersed in luxury. You can enter the skyscraper through one of three separate entrances. This was done so that office workers, residents and visitors of restaurants, and hotel guests do not interfere with each other. A huge number of restaurants, bars, cafes and discos, artificial lakes and boulevards - all this can be found in one of the greatest
Faktrum tells Interesting Facts about Burj Khalifa.
1. Tallest building in the world
The height of the Burj Khalifa is 828 meters, and the height of the second tallest building in the world (Shanghai Tower) is 632 meters. The difference is more than obvious. Also, Burj Khalifa is three times taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Photos: Novate.ru
2. Inside the building
Those who think that the Burj Khalifa is very impressive from the outside have simply never been inside the skyscraper. The highest observation deck is at an altitude of 452 meters. The building has a total of 164 floors, 1 of which is underground, and as many as 58 elevators that travel at a speed of 10 meters per second (these are some of the fastest elevators in the world). Burj Khalifa also has 2,957 parking spaces, 304 hotels and 904 apartments.
3. The skyscraper was designed by Americans and built by a South Korean company
While the Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai (the skyscraper's original name was Burj Dubai), the building was designed by the American firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Engineers from Chicago have created a special support structure that resembles a three-rayed star. The construction of the building was entrusted to the South Korean company Samsung Engineering and Construction.
4. Several records
It is the tallest free-standing building, the building with the highest residential floor, the building with the largest number floors, a building equipped with the highest elevators and the second highest observation deck (the highest observation deck is located in the Canton TV Tower).
5. What was needed for construction
In order to build such a titanic building, it took a lot of time and effort (namely, 6 years and 22 million man-hours). On especially busy days, more than 12,000 workers were on the construction site at one time.
6. Huge weight
An incredible amount of materials were required to construct the building. So much aluminum was used that it would be enough to create 5 Airbus A380s. 55,000 tons of reinforcing steel and 110,000 tons of concrete were also used. This is approximately equal to the weight of 100,000 elephants. And if you take and stack the reinforcement from a building in a row, it would stretch over a quarter of the Earth.
7. Heat resistance
Dubai is very hot in the summer average temperature here it is 41 degrees. Naturally, a building built in this country must withstand extreme temperature changes. That's why more than 300 Chinese experts were hired to develop a cladding system that could protect against local temperatures.
8. Energy consumption
Naturally, living in such a huge building requires a monstrous amount of resources. For example, Burj Khalifa uses about 950,000 liters of water every day. The building also consumes a huge amount of electricity (about as much as 360,000 hundred-watt light bulbs “eat”).
9. Skyscraper washing
How do you clean and wash 26,000 glass panels that always look perfect? This is done by 12 machines, each weighing about 13 tons, moving along special rails on the outside of the building. The cars are serviced by 36 people.
10. Floral design
The Burj Khalifa's design was inspired by the Hymenocallis, a flower that has long petals radiating out from the center. The three wings of the Burj Khalifa spread out to the sides like these petals.
We climb the tallest building in the world - the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai! How much does a tour to the observation deck cost? Where to buy tickets and how to save? Read our review and advice.
It seems that the Arabs, when constructing the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, decided to collect all the “most” titles: this is the tallest ground-based structure in the entire history of mankind, the building with the largest number of floors, the fastest elevator, the highest observation deck, etc.
Information about Burj Khalifa Tower
The height of the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai is 828 meters, the number of floors is 163, the elevator speed is 18 m/s (according to other sources - 10 m/s). The elevator takes you to the 124th floor in a minute; in the cabin there is a board with the floor countdown.
The dream of almost all tourists in Dubai is to climb this luxurious and breathtaking building. True, no one will allow mere mortals to reach the very top. The maximum height accessible to tourists is 555 meters, or the 148th floor. But the most visited floors are 124 and 125 (456 meters). It is on these three floors that the observation decks are located At the Top And At the Top Sky where tickets are sold.
Burj Khalifa is a city within a city: there are offices, apartments, a hotel, restaurants, shopping centers and so on. In front of the building is the famous dancing fountain, which draws crowds with its performances. Adjacent to the skyscraper is the equally famous Dubai Mall shopping center.
(Photo: tucotuti / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC 2.0)
Where to buy tickets for Burj Khalifa in Dubai?
Advantages of purchasing on the official website: cheap (from 135 dirhams), you can buy tickets to the 148th floor or choose a promotion. For example, buy skyscraper + aquarium combo tickets. Website in English.
Advantages of purchasing on Sputnik: more expensive (from 180 dirhams), but in Russian. Can't select combo.
We bought tickets for Burj Khalifa on the official website. We took the combo - tower (124th and 125th floors) + aquarium. For two it turned out to be 390 dirhams.
Here are the prices for tickets to Burj Khalifa on the official website:
Interesting video! TV presenter and blogger Anton Ptushkin conducts a video tour of rich life In Dubai:
Buy tickets for the Burj Khalifa in advance, rather than at the ticket office in the Dubai Mall - it’s much cheaper! After payment, the voucher will be sent by email. You need to print it out and exchange it for a ticket at the ticket office.
What time should I choose? If you want to visit the skyscraper during the daytime, we recommend taking tickets for 8:30 or 9:00 - there are still few people at this time. At 10 and 11 a.m., the sites are already crowded: all the glass is covered with tourists taking selfies, someone is broadcasting live on Instagram, and queues are forming.
Prime time from 16:00 to 18:00 - most popular time(and the most expensive tickets). You can see the sunset, the dancing fountain and the lights of the city at night. However, can you imagine the crowd at the venues? And the fountain is beautiful from below. If you really want to look at the fountain not from the ground, go up to the balcony of the Apple Store in the Dubai Mall.
Come early. We arrived half an hour before and they let us in early. During the day and evening, it is better to arrive at least an hour in advance, as there is a queue at the ticket office and separately at the elevator.
How to get to Burj Khalifa in Dubai?
The exact address of the skyscraper is: 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai. You can take the metro to the station Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. Then follow the signs to the Dubai Mall - along the covered walkway. Once inside the mall, follow signs for Burj Khalifa again. Next, you will reach the ticket office and go up to the elevator.
There is a small queue at the elevator; about 10 people go in at a time. In a minute you will rise to the 124th floor, where there is an open terrace with glazed walls. There is also an observation deck on the 125th floor, but it is closed. We were not on the 148th floor.
Hotel in Burj Khalifa in Dubai
If you want to have a blast, then check into the 5-star (who would doubt it) Armani Hotel Dubai 5*. It occupies 11 floors of a skyscraper. It has excellent reviews - 9.1 out of 10. A double standard costs only 35 thousand rubles!
Our review of the skyscraper
Is it worth a visit? Undoubtedly! It's expensive, but you won't regret it. It is so high that your neck starts to hurt when you look at it. To take a photograph of a skyscraper, you have to get smart.
If you don't like being in a crowd, come early in the morning - that's what we did. After 10 am, haze appears and visibility decreases. At sunset and at night it is beautiful, but expensive and crowded. Someone in the reviews complained that the night view was inferior to the morning one - the lights were like lights, the view was almost like from an airplane window.
Photo of Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai
