The history of the Burj Khalifa. Tower of Babel. Burj Khalifa skyscraper interesting facts

Factrum tells Interesting Facts about Burj Khalifa.

1. Tallest building in the world

The height of Burj Khalifa is 828 meters, and the height of the second largest 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 the Burj Khalifa is very impressive from the outside have simply not been inside a skyscraper. The highest observation deck is located at an altitude of 452 meters. In total, the building has 164 floors, 1 of which is underground, and as many as 58 elevators that travel at a speed of 10 meters per second (this is one of the fastest elevators in the world). Also, Burj Khalifa has 2,957 parking spaces, 304 hotels and 904 apartments.


3. The skyscraper was designed by the Americans and built by a South Korean company

While Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai (the original name of the skyscraper is 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-pointed 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 a large number m of 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 the construction

It took a lot of time and effort to build such a titanic building (namely, 6 years and 22 million man-hours). On particularly busy days, more than 12,000 workers were at the construction site at a time.


6. Huge weight

It took an incredible amount of materials to construct the building. One aluminum went so much that it would be enough to create 5 A380 airbuses. Also, 55,000 tons of reinforcing steel and 110,000 tons of concrete were spent. This is roughly the weight of 100,000 elephants. And if you take and fold the reinforcement from the building in a row, then it would stretch for a quarter of the Earth.


7. Heat resistance

It is very hot in Dubai, with an average temperature of 41 degrees in summer. Naturally, a building built in this country must withstand extreme temperature fluctuations. That is why more than 300 Chinese experts were hired to develop a cladding system capable of protecting against local temperatures.


8. Power consumption

Naturally, living in such a huge building requires a monstrous amount of resources. For example, the Burj Khalifa uses about 950,000 liters of water every day. Also, the building consumes a huge amount of electricity (approximately as much as 360,000 hundred-watt bulbs "eat").


9. Cleaning the skyscraper

How do you clean and wash 26,000 glass panels that always look perfect? For this, 12 machines are responsible, which weigh about 13 tons each, 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 hymenokallis, a flower that has long petals radiating from the center. The three wings of the Burj Khalifa spread out like these petals.

The largest city in the UAE is Dubai. Burj Khalifa is a building located in this city and recognized as the tallest in the world. The design height of the structure was carefully concealed during construction. What for? Because this tower was originally planned to be erected as the tallest structure. And if somewhere in the world they decide to build a building with high performance, the plan for the construction of Burj Khalifa would be changed.

Construction history

The fact that it is planned to erect the most ambitious building on the planet was officially announced by the local sheikh Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum fourteen years ago. The tower was designed as a key building in a new area of ​​the city that could attract tourists here.

At first it was called "Burj Dubai" (which in translation sounds like "Dubai Tower"), but the final stage of its construction coincided with a crisis. Due to the lack of financial resources, they turned to the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi for help. The billion-dollar support allowed construction to continue, but the building was renamed. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is named after the ruler of Abu Dhabi. He is the current President of the UAE (since 2004).

The height of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai

As a result, the data was hidden until the very opening of the tower. The height of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is eight hundred and twenty-eight meters! These figures are hard to believe, but they are. The height of the uppermost residential floor is at the level of five hundred and eighty four meters. The building, thanks to this feature, rises above the entire city and is a real symbol that Dubai can be proud of.

Burj Khalifa, whose observation deck is located at the level of four hundred and fifty meters, is higher in height than many other buildings, including the financial center in Shanghai. However, the latter structure also has its advantages. So, despite the fact that, in general, the Burj Khalifa is higher than the financial center, the Shanghai observation deck is still at a higher level when compared with the site in Dubai.

What's inside the Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai is a kind of city that is located at a great height. The floors are arranged in blocks, each of which has a specific function. The building houses approximately nine hundred residential apartments, as well as a huge hotel and many office space. A three-storey parking complex is designed for three thousand cars.

In addition, the tower has a large number of shopping centers. Burj Khalifa has three separate entrances. They are designed for a hotel, personal apartments and offices. In addition, there are sports complexes with swimming pools, training rooms and spas. At the level of the one hundred and twenty-second floor there is a restaurant, which is considered an institution of this kind, located on highest altitude all over the planet.

The Burj Khalifa has special equipment to cool and flavor the air inside the structure. At the same time, the smell was created exclusively for this particular building. The glass in the tower does not allow dust particles to pass through and is capable of repelling solar radiation, which guarantees stable temperature performance.

Also, a special grade of concrete was developed especially for this building. He is able to withstand a heat of about 50 degrees. A mixture of this material was placed exclusively at night, and a certain amount of ice was added to it.

Financial expenses

The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai was built with $ 1.5 billion in funding. Moreover, this complex is also a record holder because the costs of its construction paid off within a year after it was opened. This fact is due to the fact that the tower is extremely popular as the tallest in the world.

Even before the end of construction work, the developer company, back in 2009, announced that one square meter in Burj Khalifa costs forty thousand dollars. Imagine that the popularity of the tower is also due to the presence of an observation deck, which begins to register for a visit a few days before the expected visit.

Burj Khalifa records

The whole world knows what building Dubai is most famous for. The Burj Khalifa was officially recognized as a record building, which, in addition to the above dignity, has the largest number of floors and elevators moving at a speed of eighteen meters per second. In addition, there is a restaurant on the largest point on Earth - the establishment is located on the 122nd floor in the tower.

But why is the Burj Khalifa observation deck inferior in height to the Shanghai platform? If the Chinese tower is equipped with a room at the level of four hundred and seventy meters, then in United Arab Emirates it is located at a level of four hundred and fifty meters. What is the reason for this feature? This is due to the fact that the tower narrows at the top of the structure, so the very top of the structure cannot accommodate people.

Who lives upstairs in the Burj Khalifa

The pricing policy for real estate in Dubai is much more affordable than, for example, the cost in cities such as Moscow, London or New York. However, only real rich people can buy their apartment in this tower. The developers do not reveal the names, but many of the buyers speak about it on their own. For example, today we can confidently say that the hundredth and one hundred and first floors were acquired in order to personal use billionaire from India Shetty. The cost of this purchase is estimated at twenty-five million dollars.

Gold vending machines

Obviously, this is another feature of the described tower. For example, vending machines in shopping centers usually sell drinks or snacks. But this is not the case with the Burj Khalifa. Today there are several machines that sell real gold. Those who can afford to spend a lot of money buy bars that weigh between two and a half to thirty grams. The image of the tower is engraved on these gold items.

Fountains of Burj Khalifa

There is another landmark near the skyscraper that Dubai is justly proud of. Burj Khalifa boasts a unique, most powerful fountain on the planet, spewing water to a level that reaches a hundred meters. At the same time, he is equipped with a device capable of forcing him to write out bizarre figures, moving to the music. In the evenings, a real show of the famous fountain begins, which "dances" to beautiful melodies, and everyone can admire this action.

Where is Burj Khalifa located?

Burj Khalifa it is the tallest and most famous skyscraper in modern world which is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The height of Burj Khalifa is 828 meters. It took about 6 years to build the tower, and $ 1.5 billion was spent. Burj Khalifa created on a special principle, called a vertical city, where the floors have different functions. The tower contains about 900 apartments, 304 hotel rooms and 35 floors for separate offices. There is also an underground car park with a capacity of about 3000 cars.

Burj Khalifa Dubai Description

In 202, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced plans to build the tallest building in the world to the world.

The tower was supposed to be the most important element in the new area of ​​Dubai, it was designed with the aim of attracting many tourists to Dubai from all over the world.

The tower was designed by Dubai-based Emaar, while South Korean Samsung Engineering was selected as the general contractor.

Originally, the Burj Khalifa was known as the "Dubai Exchange", which means " Arabic Dubai Tower". But the completion of this project coincided with the global financial crisis, and the city was forced to ask for help from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

In gratitude for the support of the project, billions of dollars were received for the construction of the tower, the skyscraper was renamed in honor of Sheikh Abu Dhabi. At the opening of the skyscraper, it was said: "This tower will henceforth and forever bear the name" Khalifa Burj Khalifa "

The height of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

In July 2007, the Burj Khalifa reached and surpassed the height of the record holder of the time, the Taipei skyscraper, which was 509 meters. And in September 2007, the record was broken for the tallest building in the world, which belonged to the "CN Tower", located in Toronto, its height was 555 meters. The total height of the tower was kept secret, until the very opening ceremony, and amounted to 828 meters.

The top floor of a residential skyscraper is 584 meters high. Above, there is a 244 meter steel pin, which is installed to provide connectivity. The observation deck is based on the 124th floor of the tower, which is 452 meters high. This is the second highest observation deck after the skyscraper of the Financial Center located in Shanghai.

Burj Khalifa in Dubai. History.

The history of the tower began in 2000, when the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum decided to launch a plan to turn the emirate into one of the most important centers of world tourism and.

One of its main points was a plan for the construction of a completely new district of Dubai, which will include about 100 buildings: hotels, residential and office buildings, the largest shopping center, magnificent fountains and other unique projects. But, one of its key elements of this new area was to be the tallest skyscraper in the world.

Emaar, a Dubai-based construction company, selected architect Adrian Smith in 2002 to design this unique project.

Why was the architect Adrian Smith chosen? Because he was the founder of the Jin Mao skyscraper project, built in the heart of Shanghai. Its original design was 518 meters high, which was enough to beat the then height champion Taipei, which stood at 509 meters.

But at the initial stage, the project was changed at least 7 times. The last version, which had a height of 705 and 750 meters. But, the organizers were not satisfied with the height and they demanded from Smith to make changes to the project. And the final version, from the proposed five tower options, a project with a height of 828 meters was chosen.

The project was launched in January 2004 under the name Burj Dubai and construction work began. And in December 2004, the construction of the base of the tower was completed. The construction of the first 10 floors took almost one year.

Scientists have developed a special brand of cement especially for the Burj Khalifa tower, which withstands high temperatures up to +50 ° C for a long time. The building was flooded only at night, ice was added to the solution. Otherwise, too high an air temperature did not allow the concrete to gain the required strength. The tower was built with average speed 1-2 floors per week.

Well, the Burj Khalifa reached a height of 160 floors, after which a steel 200 meter spire was installed. It was specially designed for the Burj Khalifa building, glass that allowed enough light to pass through, but reflected some of the heat, which significantly reduced the cost of cooling the skyscraper. But also, the glass had to withstand huge wind loads.

Finally, the construction of the tower was completed. Further, landscaping of the complex was carried out. After the opening ceremony of the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai took place.

How much money was spent on the construction of the Burj Khalifa?

The construction of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper cost $ 1.5 billion, which paid off in record time, just one year after opening.

The high payback of the tower is associated with the enormous popularity of the building, because it is the tallest skyscraper in the world. During construction, in 2009 the company "Emaar" announced record sales of premises at a price of $ 40,000 per 1 sq. M. In addition, the observation deck of the tower is very popular. To climb to the observation deck, you must buy a ticket by ordering it several days in advance.

Burj Khalifa skyscraper interesting facts

1. Burj Khalifa is an absolute record holder in many respects!

Burj Khalifa is officially recognized as champion in the following categories:

- Most high building in the history of mankind.

- The building with the largest number of floors.

- The tower with the fastest elevator: its speed is 18 m / s.

- The skyscraper houses the tallest restaurant in the world.

In Burj Khalifa, the restaurant is called Atmosphere, which is located on the 122nd floor of the tower.

But, the most impressive record of the Burj Khalifa is its height, it is the tallest skyscraper in the world!

But the world's tallest observation deck is located in the financial center in Shanghai, its height is 474 meters. While in Burj Khalifa, its height is only 452 meters above sea level.

2. Who lives on top of the Burj Khalifa?

Despite the fact that housing prices in Dubai are much lower than New York, London, or Moscow, only the richest people in the world can afford to buy housing in the Burj Khalifa. The owner of the building did not disclose the names of the buyers. But in turn, some rich buyers proudly talk about their purchase themselves. The press leaked information that the 100th and 101st floors were purchased for personal use by the billionaire of Indian origin Dr. Shetty. The purchase of the floors cost him $ 25 million. “I have the best apartment in Dubai, in the Burj Khalifa building on the 100th floor,” the owner of the Indian pharmaceutical empire boasted.

3. Vending machines in the Burj Khalifa skyscraper.

What are these vending machines selling? Food, coffee, soda, did you think? Yes, no, you will never guess. Everything is different here in the tallest skyscraper in the world!

Bullions of gold are sold in vending machines in Burj Khalifa! Anyone can buy gold bars weighing from 2.5 to 30 grams for a decent bundle of money. One vending machine is installed on the observation deck, the other in the lobby of the tower.

4. Using the energy of the sun.

In Dubai, the scorching sun shines almost all year round, and everyone seeks refuge in a saving shade. However, enterprising sheikhs figured out how to make money even on the scorching rays of light. Around Burj Khalifa, small rooftop buildings have been built with solar panels that generate quite a lot of electricity to power the tower itself.

5. Miracle fountains of the Burj Khalifa.

At the foot of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, there is another miracle, comparable in its uniqueness to the size of the tower. It is one of the largest fountains in the world, which can lift streams of water up to 100 meters. In addition, this fountain is not only in full swing, but can also depict complex figures that move to the beat of the music. Every half hour, starting at 8 pm, the Dancing Fountain, to any beautiful melody, performs its own repertoire, which everyone can admire. As an added bonus, this giant beautiful fountain for the surrounding vacationers it presents a pleasant coolness. Which makes staying near this tower more comfortable.

If you can ever visit Dubai, be sure to visit the highest world building and you will be able to spend your pleasant vacation here.

Large oil fields were found, the country's authorities did everything possible to develop tourism business here. The largest number of amazing buildings and luxury hotels have been erected in Dubai. Perhaps the most important attraction of the city is the Burj Khalifa ( Burj khalifa).

Skyscraper Burj Khalifa is officially recognized as the tallest building in the world. Outwardly, the tower resembles a huge stalagmite. It has jagged lines, but this was not done for the purpose of decoration, but in order to protect the building from the winds. It is also worth noting that the skyscraper is built of high-strength materials that are resistant to any weather conditions.

Initially, it was planned to build a building that would accommodate office space, residential apartments, shops, hotels, restaurants. That is, we can say that Burj Khalifa is whole city, which has absolutely everything you need for life. In addition, the area around is completely ennobled. There is a magnificent park, a shady garden, and even one that deserves special attention.

Skyscraper construction history

The construction of the tallest tower in the world took almost 6 years. Several countries participated in the design and construction. The main architect was American Adrian Smith, who has repeatedly designed such skyscrapers. And the general contractor was the South Korean company Samsung. Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004. Information about the height of the building was carefully hidden, and its values ​​were constantly changing. The opening of the skyscraper was planned for 2009, but due to funding problems it had to be postponed. As a result, the tower was opened a year later, in early January.


photo: Around the tower during construction

Burj Khalifa on Dubai map

Address: 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

How to get to Burj Khalifa

The skyscraper is located in the most prestigious area of ​​Dubai - Down Town. All roads lead to the main attraction of the city. Tourists can take the metro to the tower, or take a taxi. By metro you need to get to the station of the same name "Burj Khalifa". Taxis are more expensive means of transportation, but faster transportation. Considering the excellent road surface and the absence of traffic jams, the taxi ride will be an incredible pleasure. In addition, all taxis in the city are air-conditioned, so during the trip you will not have to worry about the intense heat.


photo: Burj Khalifa metro station from the observation deck

Skyscraper visiting rules

Any tour agency in Dubai will offer tourists an unforgettable excursion to the tallest skyscraper in the world. There is a separate entrance for tourists. The tower is equipped with 57 lifts, but only one of them runs through all floors. To get to the observation deck, for which they are going to Burj Khalifa, tourists need to make several changes. Group tours are held from 10.00 to 22.00 from Sunday to Wednesday, and from Thursday to Saturday, the opening hours of the observation deck are increased by 2 hours.


photo: Through this entrance, all guests and tourists enter the building

Excursion to the Burj Khalifa on video

The cost of the excursion depends on many factors. For example, if you do not want to stand in line, you can pay 400 AED per ticket and go to the observation deck out of line. In other cases, an adult ticket costs 125 AED, the cost of a child ticket (4 - 12 years old) is 95 AED, and kids under three years old do not need to buy a ticket at all.

Technical equipment

The tower is equipped with last word technology. Its technical equipment uses the most Hi-tech... First of all, it is necessary to mention the unique air conditioning system. Thanks to special glazing, the building does not heat up and does not allow dust to pass through. In the tower, the temperature is constantly kept at around +18 degrees. At the same time, the air throughout the entire skyscraper is constantly refreshed using specially installed membranes. It is worth noting that Burj Khalifa has its own fragrance specially developed.

The tower provides itself with electricity. Solar panels are installed on the facade of the building, and a huge turbine rotates from gusts of wind. The length of this turbine is over 60 meters.


photo: Inside the elevator leading to the Burj Khalifa observation deck

The ascent to Burj Khalifa is provided by 57 elevators. The speed of their movement is 10 m / s. Interestingly, in emergency situations, people are evacuated in just 32 minutes, despite the impressive size of the building.

Burj Khalifa inside

The building has almost everything a person needs for life: shops, restaurants, swimming pools, nightclubs, observation decks, an observatory, and much more. The first 39 floors of the tower are occupied by the rooms of a luxurious five-star hotel, which is considered one of the most prestigious hotels in the country. 35 floors of the tower are allocated for offices, and 59 for residential premises. The 100th floor is owned by a billionaire from India. And on the 122nd floor there is a chic restaurant with the self-explanatory name "Atmosphere", which can accommodate about 80 guests at a time. The main observation deck is located on the 148th floor. Its height is amazing, and delivers a lot of unforgettable emotions.


photo: Interior interiors
photo: Interiors inside itself high skyscraper in the world
photo: One of the apartments in Burj Khalifa. You can still buy)

Observation Decks

There are two observation platforms in the tower. One of them is located on the 148th floor and the other on the 124th floor. Tickets can be purchased at the box office at the entrance to the tower, but this is often not possible, since absolutely all tourists want to see Dubai from a bird's eye view. That is why it is better to buy tickets to the observation deck online online. You can see the city through a huge window from which incredible beautiful view to Dubai and its main attractions.

Skyscraper Facts

  • The height of the unique skyscraper is 828 meters
  • The building has 163 floors
  • Spire height - 180 meters
  • $ 1.5 billion was spent on construction
  • There are 900 residential apartments in the building
  • Observation deck height - 555 meters
  • Movement on floors is provided by 57 elevators
  • 12 thousand workers took part in the construction of the tower.

Burj Khalifa (Dubai) is the tallest tower in the world, which impresses not only in its size, but also in its capabilities. This building is a record holder in many respects, some tourists come to the most Big City Arab Emirates just to visit.

Burj Dubai skyscraper height

The height of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper reaches 828 meters. The estimated height of the building was kept secret almost until the opening. This is primarily due to the fact that it was technically possible to complete and complete the floors, thereby increasing the amount of usable area.
They stopped building the tower even higher not for technical, but for economic reasons, stopping at 162 floors.

Burj Khalifa: general description, history of appearance

Who built the skyscraper

Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum initiated the construction of the mega-high structure. Initially, the tower was named Burj Dubai, but then it was renamed in honor of the President and Sheikh of neighboring Abu Dhabi Khalifa, who at one time provided impressive financial assistance in the construction. However, locals the building is often called the old-fashioned Burj Dubai.

When the tower was built

The construction of the high-rise building began in 2004, and at first it went very quickly - 1 - 2 floors were erected per week. At the end, the construction was delayed, this was due to problems in financing, but nevertheless, in 2010, the high-rise was officially opened.

As planned by the sheikh, the new building became the symbols of the new area. Moreover, now the Burj Khalifa skyscraper has become the hallmark of not only the district, but also Dubai, UAE.

The tower is one of the main features of Dubai

The futuristic high-rise building combines the luxury of a wealthy country with state-of-the-art technology. Everyone who comes to Dubai for the first time considers it their duty to visit it and take pictures at one of the observation platforms. There is an opinion that if you could not visit the Burj Khalifa, then you have not been to Dubai either.

Interesting facts about Burj Dubai (Khalifa)

  1. Initially, it was planned to build a skyscraper with a height of 940 m.
  2. The high-rise building has no foundation; it stands on special hanging piles.
  3. Since it is very hot in Dubai, high-tech concrete was developed specifically for the construction of the Burj Khalifa, which can withstand ultra-high temperatures (up to 50C). This concrete mixture was laid only at night, while ice was added to it. Glass panels reflect dust and sunlight, so the room is not as hot as it is outside and a stable comfortable temperature remains.
  4. Burj Dubai is a completely energetically self-sufficient building. The skyscraper is powered by a wind turbine and many solar panels.
  5. Seawater and an elaborate air conditioning system are used to cool the air inside the building.
  6. The high-rise building has its own, exclusive scent. This scent is exuded by specially designed equipment, which periodically injects the scent inside the premises.
  7. There are exactly 3,000 steps from the basement to the top floor.
  8. The elevators of the Burj Khalifa tower are considered record high-speed.
  9. On the 76th floor, you can swim in the largest pool in existence.
  10. There are several machines in the tower where gold is sold. The device produces precious bars weighing from 2.5 to 30 g.
  11. In an emergency, all people on the premises will be evacuated in just 32 minutes.

Photo of the city from the high-rise skyscraper Burj Dubai


What is inside the Burj Khalifa and who lives at the very top

The skyscraper has 162 floors; from the very beginning, this object was conceived as a city in one building. Placed here:

  • hotel (1st - 39th floors);
  • offices (111 - 121, 125 - 135, 139 - 154 floors);
  • apartments (from 44 to 72, from 77 to 104 floors);
  • shops, large shopping centers;
  • night clubs, cafes;
  • the tallest mosque in the world;
  • observation decks at different levels;
  • observatory;
  • a three-storey parking complex where up to 3000 cars can stay;
  • training and sports complexes, swimming pools.

For convenience, the tower has three completely independent entrances.

  • On the 122nd floor there is a prestigious restaurant with a capacity of up to 80 people.
  • One of the panoramic platforms of the Burj Khaliba skyscraper is located on the 124th floor (452 ​​m).
  • 148th floor - the famous observation deck At the Top, where the most extensive panorama of the city opens from a height of 555 m above the ground. You can get there only with a previously purchased ticket. For the first time At the Top opened in 2008, now in this observatory there are various telescopes with the help of which you can get a closer look at any distant objects of the city.

Photo of the restaurant in the tower


Everyone knows that real estate prices in the United Arab Emirates are more affordable than in other successful countries. In any case, not everyone can afford to buy an apartment in Burj Khalifa. Who exactly of the world-class millionaires became the happy owner of their own square meters in the famous skyscraper is not disclosed to the general public. It is now known that the hundredth floor is wholly owned by the billionaire Shetty from India. There are three comfortable apartments with magnificent views, for which Shetty once gave about $ 25 million.

The most famous musical fountain is located near the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. A stunning water dance can be seen every day; this enchanting composition requires about 80 thousand liters of water per performance. At the same time, the height of the jet can reach 150 meters, this action can be seen at a distance of 30 km.