It is always a feel-good factor and a refreshing change to cut from your daily routine, take a break, and witness a few glorious things or places around the world – natural or manmade. Be it monuments, structures, landscapes, or adventures, they are all in abundance around us, which never fails to bring the adrenaline rush. One such wonder that can miss your heartbeat at a single glance is “Burj Khalifa”.
With a height of 2,717 feet, the Burj Khalifa is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and towers over all the tall buildings in Dubai. It effortlessly broke all preceding world records, be it structures and services of any building, from residences to corporate suites, offering the most ecstatic observation deck to the world! This marvel is well known across the globe for a few things namely:
Facts about the Burj Khalifa
- Since 2010, the Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest structures
- It holds the record of being the world’s tallest free-standing construction
- The building has the greatest number of stories in the world
- It ranks second highest in the world with the highest outdoor observation deck
- It has the highest occupied floors in the world
- It holds the record for the tallest elevator in the world
- The elevator beams a record of the longest travel distance.
With so many wonders and astounding facts of this spectacle, here we present a few lesser-known facts about this monument that in many ways defines the technological advancement of mankind and also the living standard of one of the finest places to visit – Dubai.
1. Burj Kahlifa was originally named Burj Dubai. However, to honor Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of UAE, the monument was renamed “Burj Khalifa”. The change in name also has a lot to do with the billions of dollars contributed by Abu Dhabi to cover the country’s debt.
2. Ever since the pre-historic era, for the very first time, the “world’s tallest structure” comprises residential space.
3. Burj Khalifa – the tallest building in the world is three times taller than the Eiffel Tower and twice the height of the Empire State Building. The monument has 900 apartments, with 162 floors and a total area of 309,473 m sq.
4. It took 6 years to fully build and inaugurate (officially open) the Burj Khalifa.
5. With a height of 828 meters, the monument holds 37 office floors. From the ground level to level 160, it has 2909 stairs. Besides, it occupies a park area of 11 hectares, 6 astonishing water features, and an underground parking space that numbers 3000.
6. Other add-ons include a 4-storey recreation and fitness annex, a dining restaurant at 442 m heights on Level 122, and the world’s second-largest swimming pool.
7. The total cost of the project is $15 billion. It holds the world’s second-highest record of having an observation deck at 452 m on level 124.
8. 946,000 liters is the daily water supply at Burj Khalifa. One of the interesting facts about the functioning of the world’s tallest building is that the water condensation that occurs from the AC unit in a year can fill twenty Olympic size swimming pools. This water is recycled and used for irrigation of the landscape.
9. Another interesting fact about Burj Khalifa is that the design of the building resembles a desert flower – Hymenocalllis, found in the region
10. It holds the longest and fastest-running elevators that run at 10 meters per second.
11. The tip of the Burj Khalifa sphere can be seen from a radius of 95 Kilometers.
12. The concrete used to build Burj Khalifa weighed something that was equivalent to 100,000 elephants, besides 39,000 tonnes of steel rebar was put to use.
13. The tower rests on an artificial lake that surrounds the building offering a breathtaking view of the area.
14. Cleaning the windows of the monument is done by traditional means using a squeegee and soapy water. It takes 3 months to clean all the windows from top to bottom.
15. When the construction was in full swing, 12,000 workers worked every day toward building the monument.
16. At the top of the building visitors enjoy a temperature that is 15 degrees cooler than at the base.
17. Burj Khalifa can hold 35,000 people at one time.
18. And finally another astonishing fact about Burj Khalifa – The building is so tall that one can watch two sunsets in a day! Since there is a time difference of three minutes from the ground to the top of the building, you can watch the sunset at the base, and reach the top to watch the sunset once again!
There is no doubt that this wonder is a pride of Dubai. It marks the dignity and zest of the country that has come this far in a short span of time. If ever you travel to Dubai you cannot but miss witnessing this marvel. The tallest structure on earth, with its gleaming presence, is a treat indeed for adventure lovers as well as those who wish to witness history! You can see the whole of Dubai from its observation deck!
Soooo interesting and fascinating!
Thanks Sienna