Burj Khalifa – The World’s Tallest Free Standing Structure

Burj Khalifa is currently the world’s tallest building, reaching nearly one kilometer into the sky, all made possible by complex designs and cutting edge technology.

Dubai is so unlike any other part of the United Arab Emirates that many people mistakenly believe that it’s an independent country. Who can blame them though when large swathes of the country look like something out of a sci-fi movie?

From magnificent underwater hotels, to glittering futuristic skyscrapers, Dubai is the very definition of modern day architecture. It’s also a city of mind bending opulence, and home to what is often said to be the world’s only 7-Star hotel, Burj Al Arab.

Among all this luxury and extravagance, stands the world’s tallest man-made structure, the Burj Khalifa tower with a height of 829.8 meters. Its closest competitor is the Taipei 101 tower at 509.2 meters.

A Few Interesting Facts

• Some of the elevators in the tower travel a distance of just over half a kilometer
• Double-deck elevators reach speeds of up to 10 meters per second at full capacity
• If you decided to use the stairs, you would need to climb 2909 stair to reach the 160th floor
• Nearly one million liters of water pass through the water supply system daily
• There are 24,348 windows to keep 36 window cleaners busy for roughly 4 months
• The tower can accommodate up to 35,000 people

The Tower In Downtown Dubai

Burj Khalifa is built in an upscale 490 acre development known as Downtown Dubai. The development is described as being a “mixed use” development, with Burj Khalifa being its main centerpiece. In addition to the tower, there are some 30,000 residential homes; 9 hotels (excluding those within the tower); 19 residential towers; 7.4 acres of parkland; a huge manmade lake covering an area of 30 acres, and as is to be expected, a glittering new shopping mall.

Burj Khalifa From A Financial Point Of View

By its completion in October 2009, office space in Burj Khalifa was fetching around US$43,000 per square meter, while residential space wasn’t far behind, selling for around US$37,000 per square meter. Unfortunately, the tower was completed in the middle of the 2007-2012 financial crises, and this had a profound impact.

Less than one year after it being opened, rental had decreased by approximately 40%. Furthermore, with Dubai already having a considerable amount of debt, the government had little choice but to ask for financial help from their exceedingly wealthy neighbor, Abu Dhabi. This help came in the form of a multibillion dollar bailout.

At the official opening ceremony, the building’s name was officially changed from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa, and it’s widely accepted that this was done in honor of Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates president.

By the end of 2012 the project developer had reported that 80% of the building had been occupied. As time passes, remaining vacancies are becoming increasing expensive, and the tower is expected to reach 100% occupancy very shortly.

Dubai – A Forward Thinking Strategy

Dubai owes a great deal of its growth and success to its abundant oil supply, but the government also realizes that their oil is not going to last forever. As some point, the wells are going to run dry, and unless there’s an alternative source of revenue, widespread poverty would be almost inevitable.

As a result, the government is eager to develop Dubai into being an international tourism hub, and projects such as Burj Khalifa are a crucial part of the plan. After all, more arrivals equates to more investment.

An Attraction Not To Be Missed

Even if you have no intention of spending a night or two in the tower’s plush Armani Hotel, or even if you can’t bring yourself to step inside an elevator which is going to take you about half a kilometer up into the clear blue sky, you should still make a point of visiting. It well and truly is an amazing sight.

If would like to experience all the very best Dubai has to offer, including visits to places like Burj Khalifa, please visit our Egypt and Dubai Tours. Our team of experts has designed a range of high quality tour packages, but they’ll also be more than happy to tailor a tour just for you.

With more than 50 years experience and a 24/7 customer service department, you can be sure your holiday needs are in good hands.