The Burj Khalifa rises 828 meters above the city. It is the most visible symbol of Dubai. And most importantly: it is the tallest building on the planet today.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, is known for his love of showcasing his wealth, including in the framework of construction projects. With ambitious projects supervised by the sheikh, Dubai becomes not only a paradise for fans of the most modern architecture but also for architects, builders, and even ordinary workers. To build the tallest building in the world together? It was a real challenge!

The foundations for the skyscraper were laid in early 2004. Four years later, in April 2008, the building became the tallest in the ratings of the planet.

The skyscraper was to be called Burj Dubai. But sometimes even the fabulously rich sheikh can expect financial surprises: the cost of construction, which fell during the economic crisis that also affected Dubai, rose to 1.5 trillion dollars. In this difficult financial situation, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE and the emir of Abu Dhabi, extended a helping hand to Sheikh Mohammed in the form of a loan of about $80 trillion. In gratitude, the tallest building was named after the emir – Burj Khalifa. The giant tower was inaugurated in 2010.

Specialists had to solve several difficult problems: the placement of a huge building on the sandy desert soils, resistance to high temperatures, which can rise to 50 °C in Dubai. A total of 120,000 square meters of glass panels were used to provide thermal protection, reflect the sun and protect it from strong winds. Architecturally, the building had to correspond to Islamic culture. All tasks were solved.

The Burj Khalifa is several world records under one roof. The tallest building on the planet has the highest number of floors above ground and the highest residential floor in the world. It is also home to the planet's tallest outdoor observation deck, the most elevated restaurant, mosque, and nightclub, and the elevators with the longest ascent distance in the world.