The truth about the world's tallest tower in Dubai

The 164-story Burj Khalifa took 5 years, 12,000 workers, 22 million hours of work and cost $1.5 billion to build. The temperature difference between the lowest and highest floors of the tower is up to 15 degrees Celsius.

Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world with 164 floors, 828 meters high, surpassing the World Trade Center in Manhattan (USA). Visitors can see Burj Khalifa shining like a sharp needle at night no matter where they stand in the city.

The building first opened in 2010 with a lavish and expensive public unveiling ceremony. The Burj Khalifa took 5 years to complete, with a workforce of up to 12,000 people and a construction cost of more than $1.5 billion. The tower's construction speed is also ranked as the fastest in the world, with at times it took 3 days to complete a new floor.

Although inspired by a three-petaled flower, the Burj Khalifa actually looks like a sharp needle. Photo: The Inhabitat.

The tower's foundations were dug 43 meters below ground and it took workers four months to clean its 24,000 windows. In addition to its height record, the Burj Khalifa also holds many other records such as the tallest aluminum-glass structure, the tallest observation deck and the fastest elevator in the world (64 km/h).

The tower was originally named Burj Dubai but was later renamed Burj Khalifa. The reason is said to be because the apartments here were too expensive, causing the project to fall into disrepair. Dubai was forced to seek help from the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who provided billions of dollars to pay off the debts. The tower was then renamed on the day of its opening to honor the generous royal.

The temperature difference between the lowest and highest floors of the tower is huge, up to 15 degrees Celsius. The sunrise and sunset times are also an hour apart. On foggy days, people working on the upper floors can't even see down to the city below.

The temperature difference between the lowest and highest floors is up to 15 degrees Celsius. Photo: Alldubai.

Built in the middle of the desert, Burj Khalifa can withstand heat up to 120 degrees Celsius and is covered with 24,348 insulation panels.

The weight of the Burj Khalifa without people is 500,000 tons.

The rent for an apartment in Burj Khalifa is $55,000 a year, but the service fee is up to $25,000, making many customers dissatisfied. However, 90% of the apartments in Burj Khalifa are always occupied.

According to VNE