Burj Khalifa is a massive building that has rapidly become an icon of Dubai, and a synonym of the city’s futuristic approaches and technology.
I used to live in Dubai and I perfectly remember the first time I saw the building from the sky while landing. It looked huge. But you don’t really understand how tall it really is until you visit the observatory.
From up there, all the other buildings around the Burj Khalifa seem tiny in comparison, but in reality, they are all 40-50-60 stories high!
While everyone knows that the tallest building in the world offers the most astounding views of the city, and is home to one of the only two Armani hotels, there are several peculiar facts about its construction, world records, and cleaning schedules that you may not know (yet!)
In this post, you’ll discover over 20 Burj Khalifa facts that will probably leave you with your jaw on the floor, from how much it cost to how many steps it would take you to reach the top. Check them out!
Burj Khalifa’s World Records
Burj Khalifa, like several other attractions in Dubai, has broken many world records since its opening. They’re mostly due to its immense height, but not all limited to that. These are some of the most fantastic Burj Khalifa records:
➤ Burj Khalifa is Dubai’s tallest building, but it’s also the world’s tallest one. And while Saudi Arabia’s newest architectonic project, the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, aims to exceed 3,280 feet in height when it opens in 2025, at the moment there’s not a building on the planet taller than Burj Khalifa.
➤ It features the world’s highest outdoor observation deck at 1,821 feet (555 meters), located on its 148th floor.
➤ It is the building with the highest number of stories. Yep, in the world! There are a total of 163 floors in Burj Khalifa, and it’s followed by the Shanghai Tower which only has 128.
➤ Burj Khalifa’s elevator facts: it has the lift with the longest travel distance, and also the tallest service elevator.
➤ At.Mosphere, located on level 122, is the world’s tallest restaurant. You can count on an unparalleled dining experience when it comes to the views!
➤ The highest occupied floor in the world is Burj Khalifa’s 160th level. The building is also the one with the most habitable levels!
➤ Burj Khalifa is the tallest free-standing building. No, this is not the same thing as the tallest building: it means that it stands on its own foundation, without being attached to anything else for support. It broke a record of 31 years!
➤ The building is also home to the world’s highest swimming pool at 885 feet (270 meters).
More facts about the Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa’s world records are not the only fascinating thing about the building, though! There are tons of other very interesting facts about it, from the reason behind its design to the number of stairs it holds, which we’ll unveil below.
Let’s start with some construction and engineering features.
Burj Khalifa Construction Facts
➤ The construction of Burj Khalifa took almost exactly six years. The excavation began in January 2004, and the building opened in January 2010.
➤ 12,000 workers were employed, and the building’s completion took 22 million hours of work.
➤Unfortunately, there were 4 deaths during the construction of the Burj Khalifa, although some reports state that there was only one construction-related death.
➤ The building features 26,000 glass panels all around it, each of them individually cut by hand. They are designed to withstand the intense heat of Dubai’s summer and all kinds of harsh weather conditions.
➤ Were you here for the juicy information about Burj Khalifa’s construction? Reportedly, the building cost 1.5 million dollars to make, although some say it’s actually closer to 2 billion. A similar figure is its yearly net profit.
➤ Burj Khalifa’s weight as an empty building is 500,000 tonnes, and the amount of concrete used is equivalent in weight to that of 100,000 elephants.
➤ The building boasts 163 floors, but there are also 2 underground levels used for parking.
➤ Burj Khalifa lift speed is 32.8 feet (10 meters) per second, reaching the 124th floor in just one minute.
➤ There are 57 elevators in total, and it takes 2,909 stairs to get to the 160th floor. Those going higher need to use ladders.
➤ Burj Khalifa’s observation deck height is 1,821 feet (555 meters). We said it already – it’s the highest in the world!
➤ The height of Burj Khalifa (in feet) is 2,722 to the tip – three times higher than the Eiffel Tower, and twice as tall as the Empire State!
Burj Khalifa Fun Facts
Let’s move on to some of the most peculiar details that will impress kids and adults alike – and very likely make you want to visit!
➤ The inauguration date, January 4th, was chosen to coincide with the Accession Day’s anniversary of Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
➤ The temperature at the top of Burj Khalifa is 59°F (15°C) lower than at the ground level.
➤ Burj Khalifa was featured in several movies, the most notable being Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, in which Tom Cruise climbed the outside of the building.
➤ Who also climbed the exterior of Burj Khalifa was Alain Robert, known around the world as the French Spiderman. He did so without assistance and the sole use of his bare hands in 6.5 hours.
➤ For its inauguration, 10,000 fireworks were shot from the building. On the New Year celebrations of 2011, which also marked the building’s first anniversary, the fireworks spectacle broke yet another record: the highest fireworks in the world.
➤ Burj Khalifa’s design is based on the Hymenocallis flower, a desert flower that grows in the UAE. The resemblance is better appreciated when seeing the building from above.
➤ The gardens that surround Burj Khalifa are watered using the condensation water of the building’s cooling system.
➤ On a clear day, the Burj Khalifa’s tip can be seen from up to 59 miles (95 km) away. That’s why visiting the observatory is one of the very best things to do in Dubai.
➤ It takes three months to clean all the windows. And they’re actually cleaned every 3 months so…the building is constantly being window-washed, all year round!
