A place where the scenic view has my heart. A view better than the rest of the world; I have witnessed the beauty of this view myself. 6 years of hard work paid off to become the tourist hub for the rest of the world. The Burj Khalifa is a mixed skyscraper located in Dubai, U.A.E. The eminent tower is the most celebrated place in the Middle East. Being the tallest building in the world it has its own charm, but every beautiful place has a history and story now it's time to explore that.
Height: 2717 feet (828 meters)
Total floors:163
Estimate cost to build it:$1.5 billion
Highest occupied floor:154
History:
The wealthiest of the seven emirates that constitute the federation of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is known for its advancements and developed environment. From hosting the Dubai Expo 2020 to building Palm Jumeriah; an artificial offshore island that resembles a palm tree surrounded by a circle, another glorious achievement is THE BURJ KHALIFA. The skyscraper provides a bird’s eye view of the entire Dubai, its construction began in the year 2004 and it was set in motion on January 4, 2010. It was beautifully designed and curated by Skidmore, Owings&Merrill’s Adrian Smith.
Naming:
The Burj Khalifa's name was derived from the name of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Maktoum who is the president of the United Arab Emirates the emirates Abu Dhabi. During a very unfortunate financial crisis that fell on Dubai, the possibility of the construction of Burj Khalifa and other buildings was likely to be halted. The emirate Abu Dhabi came as a blessing during the tough time as they provided financial help to Dubai for further construction, thus the tower Burj Khalifa was named after its president.
Side fact; Also according to Islam, Khalifah means the world’s supreme leader.
The skyscraper consists of luxurious hotels, apartments, offices, corporate suites, sky lobbies, top-notch fitness facilities, house swimming pools for gatherings and events, a library, convenience store, and most importantly “AT THE TOP” facility for tourists which comes with an observation deck as well.
An unparalleled experience is provided on the premises itself. The other outstanding and remarkable features include the Dubai fountain which is illuminated by 6,600 lights. Also, the Burj Khalifa Park and its premises include the largest shopping mall in the world: The Dubai Mall. It is a delight to spend time in the Dubai Mall premises which include 1200 retail stores, an aquarium that is home to more than 140 aquatic species, 400 sharks in its 10 million litre tank, and an indoor snow park.
My experience:
I had primarily visited Dubai for the purpose of Dubai Expo 2020, but my college authorities scheduled a visit to the Burj Khalifa for the exceptional view and experience. We had dinner at an Indian restaurant and decided to leave around 8:30-8:45 pm considering the timing was peak traffic timing. We reached the Dubai mall after a grid block through the entrance of Burj. I was awestruck looking at the humungous shopping mall including brands like Rolex, Gucci, Louis Vitton, Victoria's Secret, Tiffany&Co, and so many other well-known brands and establishments. Our slot was booked for 9:30 pm so we went then towards the 'At the top' observational deck where we received a ticket and my heart was rushing whilst I was observing the premises. We were waiting in a long queue during which I could see the vision of a skyscraper to reality via the informative data presented over there.
Our team was escorted towards an elevator for reaching floor no.124. Finally, after being inpatient for a couple of minutes, I reached floor number 124 and my eyes couldn’t stop admiring the spectacular view! Everyone wanted to get a picture clicked, but I wanted time to stop so that I could just please my eyes with the mesmerizing view.
I could look around the entire Dubai and my heart was racing, looking at the smiles on people's faces who were getting their pictures taken. I went up the stairs to the next floor which was 125, While climbing the stairs, I saw the most beautiful chandelier in my life lit up, After reaching the next floor straight below, I could see lots of vehicles, tall buildings and most importantly the sky, I felt I was near it (metaphorically) hahaha.
I could even catch the glimpse of a multi-coloured light show and fountain but vaguely.
After watching the glimpse of the entire beautiful Dubai, I even got a chance to see the colourful and illuminated fountain which had its own charismatic vibe with people humming songs, giggling, eating snacks, and most importantly appreciating the view.
Just a few suggestions:
1. Always go to the Dubai mall at least 30-45 minutes prior to your slot booking, Since the mall is huge; it would take time for you to find your way.
2. Download The Dubai Mall application that is available on PlayStore or AppStore, It has an inbuilt map feature that detects your location and makes it very easy for you.
3. Since Whatsapp voice and video calls are not allowed in Dubai, download the BOTIM application for hassle-free communication.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience still I expected that the 'AT THE TOP' team could increase the number of floors for observation by at least 150. Anyone who is visiting Dubai, I would absolutely recommend you to visit the Observation deck.
You’ll surely cherish those memories in Dubai!
See ya in next blog,
Until then,
ADIOS AMIGOS
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