Dark Secrets About The Burj Khalifa

1. The Burj Khalifa is a feat of engineering

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The Burj Khalifa is also known as the Tower of Khalifa. It's considered one of the most iconic landmarks on the planet! It is 2,716.5 feet tall and sits in the center of Dubai. The tower was built back in 2004 and was officially completed in 2010. When it debuted, it broke many engineering records and is considered a bar raiser for modern architecture.

2. But there's more than meets the eye

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While its height and size is impressive, and while people marvel at its design, what a lot of folks don't know is that the Burj Khalifa has a lot of hidden secrets. There are some surprising facts and interesting tidbits that the general public isn't aware of. So let's get into it!

3. It has its own special water system

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The Tower of Khalifa boasts its own unique water system. It collects and recycles the water used by the building's air conditioning units. It's collected and then used to irrigate the gardens and green spaces located in and around the tower. There's also a gray water recycling that recycles the water used from sinks, washing machines, and showers.

4. It's home to the second Armani Hotel

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The second ever Armani Hotel in the world was opened in Burj Khalifa when the tower opened in 2010. Of course, Giorgio Armani is a major luxury brand, and the hotel was no exception. The furnishings and decor of the hotel all reflect the Armani brand. It's said that Giorgio wanted to ensure guests felt at home in his hotels.

5. There's a HUGE sculpture in the lobby

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In the residence wing, there's a sculpture by an artist names Jaume Plensa. It was created using 196 cymbals, and there's water that drops on the cymbals from the ceiling. The result is a haunting and magical chorus that is said to sound like voices of people. The 196 cymbals represent the contractors from 196 different nationalities that helped build the Burj Khalifa.

6. The building elevators are FAST!

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Okay, so the Tower of Khalifa has 57 elevators! That's a lot. Not only that, but they are some of the fastest elevators known to man. They can travel up to 33 feet per second. So for example, if you get on the elevator at the ground floor and you want to go all the way up to the observation deck on the 124th floor, this elevator will get you there in a minute or less!

7. A guy climbed the side of the building

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There's a guy named Alain Robert who is known as the French Spider-Man. He decided to SOLO CLIMB the tower without any external assistance. It took him 6 hours, and the record he set has never been beaten. The building also holds the record for Highest Base Jump, set back in 2014.

8. The inside is pretty spectacular

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If you're wondering what the inside of the Burj Khalifa looks like, you're not alone. From what we know, it's pretty breathtaking! The interiors of the individual residences have nods to Middle Eastern culture. The rooms are said to have Middle Eastern calligraphy and sand dune slopes included in the decor.

9. The art collection is pretty massive!

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Obviously, with a building the size of the Burj Khalifa, there's a lot of wall space that needs visually appealing art. Thus, the Burj Khalifa has a massive art collection. It's said that there are more than 1000 pieces of work from some of the best artists in the world, especially some unique Middle Eastern artists. All of the art was specifically commissioned for the building.

10. It's not actually just one building

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If you look at the Burj Khalifa, it looks to be one giant tower. However, upon closer inspection, it's several smaller structures that are connected to each other. The tower itself forms a Y-shape, so it is made of three wings, and each has a different function. Two of the wings are actually commercial and residential. The other holds all of the mechanical and electrical systems.

11. They kept it a secret for as long as possible

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If you're not familiar with the architecture space, you may not realize how competitive it can be. Because of this, the Burj Khalifa designers did everything they could to keep the details of the building under wraps. They did not even reveal the height of the structure until it was ready to open in 2010, because they didn't want it to be surpassed by competitors.

12. It has one of the best dinner views

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The restaurant is 1,447 feet off the ground, and is on floor 122 of the Burj Khalifa. It's the highest restaurant in the world, and they said that the panoramic views cannot be beat anywhere else in the world, and you can see them from any seat in the restaurant. It's so popular that a lot of people have added a dinner experience here to their bucket list.

13. The fountain has this cool feature

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There's a fountain at the Burj Khalifa called The Dubai Fountain. It's not your ordinary fountain though! It's the size of two football fields, and it surrounds the base of the Burj tower. It's so big that you can actually rent traditional aura boats and sale around the fountain!

14. It has an unmatched view

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One of the coolest features of the Burj Khalifa is the observation deck. It's no surprise that they also broke records with this by making it the highest observation deck on the planet. When you go up to the 148th floor, you'll find the deck, which is known as "At the Top Sky." You can see all of Dubai and the surrounding desert.

15. It's been featured in several films

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This maybe isn't a secret, but it's a cool fact about the tower nonetheless. The Burj Khalifa has been featured in multiple films and television shows. From Mission: Impossible to Fast and Furious. Because of its design and incredible views, it's become one of the most sought after filming locations.

16. The building's spire isn't just for vanity

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Buildings have been known to add "vanity spires" to the top of their structures to be able to say the building stands taller than it does. However, the Burj Khalifa's spire has a practical use. It is home to ALL of the building's communications, and it adds a whooping 700 feet to the building!

17. There's a scary side to the city

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The Burj Khalifa and Dubai in and of itself are sights to behold. At first glance, wealth and opulence is everywhere. However, once you get past the sheen of the city, there's a darker side to it. The disparity of wealth is immense, opening doors for harsh realities like slavery, hypocrisy and deceit.

18. It took a LOT of people to make it

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Obviously, a building like the Burj Khalifa takes a ton of planning, and then a TON of people to help execute the plan. While we've talked about some of the artists and inspiration, it has to be said that there were over 12,000 construction workers who were working tirelessly on the building per day during its peak construction season. It took 22 million man-hours to complete!

19. The lighting system is energy efficient

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This is pretty cool! The Burj's lighting system is energy-efficient. They've used LED lights throughout the tower to lower the amount of energy consumed. There is also an exterior lighting system that contains over 11,000 LED lights. These lights are programmable to different effects and colors. During special events, you may see the exterior lights synchronized to music!

20. You can actually watch the sunset TWICE

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Okay, this building is SO tall that you can actually watch the sunset twice from the Burj Khalifa. If you want to really soak in that golden hour glow, watch the sunset from the lower floor and then head to the observation deck to watch it again! That's how you know a building is insanely tall!

21. You also need to prepare for different temperatures

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Here's something you probably didn't think about! But with a building as tall and expansive as the Burj Khalifa, you need to dress for two different temperatures. We're not just talking a few degrees either! It's said that the temperature at the highest point of the building to the ground level can vary by nearly 15°C!

22. This building will destroy you

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If you ever see this building start to collapse, literally run for your life! One of the craziest facts about the Burj Khalifa is how much all of the materials weigh. JUST the concrete is the weight of 100,000 elephants! The aluminum is equal to that of five A380 planes.

23. It can withstand EXTREME weather

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Dubai has some pretty serious weather conditions. It gets above 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer! Because of this, the Burj Khalifa was built to endure this extreme heat with exterior glass panels that help reflect the sun and reduce heat intake. There are over 24,000 panels on the building. The tower is also flexible so that it will not succumb easily to high winds or earthquakes.

24. The building focuses on sustainability

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We mentioned the water system that the Burj Khalifa uses. They look for sustainability at all fronts. 15 million gallons of water are collected every year from the building. The irrigation system is used for both landscaping and for air-conditioning. The solar panels on the building can head up to 36,984 gallons of water per day!

25. There's another tower that might beat it

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The Burj Khalifa is the current tallest tower, but there are rumors that the Jeddah tower is going to be over 236 feet taller. It's meant to open sometime this year, so we'll see if it beats all the records. If it does, we wouldn't be surprised if the Burj Khalifa figures out a way to add another wing to come back for the win!

26. There's a special cleaning system

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It makes sense that a building of this size is difficult to keep clean. However, there's a unique system that cleans the exterior of the Burj Khalifa that makes it more efficient and safer. There's a robotic platform that suspends from the top of the tower. It has a track that runs around the building and it's decked out with high pressure jets and brushes to clean the outside of the building. It can clean the whole exterior in just a few hours!

27. Cleaning all the windows is rough!

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If you were to clean every single window of the tower from top to bottom, it's estimated that it would take 4 months to finish. Because of this, there are permanently installed telescopic units that carry out the cleaning. But it's said that by the time you reach the end of the process, it's time to immediately start again to make sure things look fresh.

28. The design was inspired by a flower

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The Burj Khalifa was inspired by one of Dubai's regional flowers, the Spider Lily. This is why it's such a unique design. The building was also named as a way to pay homage to Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi. It was originally named the Burj Dubai but was renamed for him.

29. The tower is mammoth

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Just to put it in perspective, the Burj Khalifa is wildly huge. In fact, did you know that the top of the tower can be seen from over 60m away?! If the day is sunny and clear, you don't even have to be in Dubai to see the tower. That is pretty wild! What a feat of engineering!

30. There's a secret helipad

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There's a private helipad on the roof of the Burj Khalifa. It's kept a secret and is only available to the most VIP guests and in case of an emergency situation. It's located on the 76th floor of the building, which makes it one of the highest helipads in the world. It's made of reinforced steel and is 88.5 feet in length.

31. Things you need to know about visiting the Burj Khalifa: you need a visa for it

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Of course, we don't mean a specific visa to visit the tower itself, but if you want any hope of even getting close to it, you need a visa for your trip to Dubai! A visa might be one thing easily overlooked when you're excitedly booking your trip. You can actually usually get a free visa when you arrive in Dubai, instead of preparing ahead, but it's up to you how you want to go about it - as long as you have one! This visa will usually be a 30 day visa, which is long enough to cover the average trip! If you're planning on going elsewhere, like Saudi, you'll need a different kind of visa.

32. You need to book a viewing slot so you don't miss out

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As you can imagine, visiting the Burj Khalifa is pretty popular, and on most people's bucket lists, and for that reason it's not one of those you can just rock up to when you feel like it and knock on the door! You'll need to book a viewing slot for when you want to see it, and to make sure you don't miss out on when you're planning to go, be sure to book a viewing slot way in advance - let it be the first thing you do if you're planning your trip around this! You might also be able to get cheaper tickets if you book a long time in advance.

33. You're going to need comfy shoes!

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You only need to look at how high the Burj Khalifa is to know that it's going to do a number on your feet if you're planning to visit it! The best thing you can do for visiting in Dubai - at least for your feet - is to make sure you're wearing shoes that are going to be comfortable, and be able to handle a lot of walking. You don't want to end up forgetting to pack any comfortable footwear and then faced with your Burj Khalifa viewing slot! You also need to think about the potential for queues to get in, because it's so popular - so there'll be a lot of time spent standing around.

34. Book your viewing for sunset

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If you really want to make the most of your visit to Burj Khalifa - and that spectacular view - then the best time to go is definitely at sunset. The best thing to do is to book a viewing slot right before sunset, so that you're actually up the tower when the sun actually sets. Not only will you then be able to see the fantastic view of the sun setting, but this is the time that day turns to night, so all the buildings you can see from the tower will be switching their lights on, making for a pretty amazing view - and a pretty amazing picture!

35. Don't forget there are things to see outside it, too

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When you're planning a visit to the Burj Khalifa, it's easy to focus on the skyscraper itself - because why wouldn't you? But don't forget that the skyscraper itself is surrounded by a ton of other things to see and do, especially at the bottom exterior of it. Here you can see the Dubai Fountain, and also look at the stunning architecture of the Burj Khalifa from the outside. This is also a good choice if you're not good with heights and you want to explore where the tower is, but not necessarily go right to the top! It's still a great view from sitting by the fountain!

36. Start saving as soon as possible

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A trip to see the Burj Khalifa is going to be an expensive trip to Dubai, especially if you want to get some other sight-seeing in. To make the best opportunity possible for your trip, and to make sure you can see everything you want to see - as well as afford those flights - then the earlier you start saving, the better. Because the Burj Khalifa is a popular bucket list item for most people, it gives you another time to know (and save) for a while, rather than being a spontaneous weekend trip! (Though of course that's possible if you have the means!).

37. Give yourself enough time to visit

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Booking your viewing slot and getting that done is one thing - making sure you have enough time to look around is another! You want to make sure you can go at your own pace without feeling rushed, so that you can take it all in - especially those incredible views. And if you're someone who struggles with heights or being on their feet a lot, you may want to make extra time allowances for that, too! The average person visiting the Burj Khalifa will spend around 2 and a half hours looking around, so make sure you don't plan anything for immediately after your time slot.

38. You might want to consider a New Year's visit

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We know that New Year's is a good enough excuse to go pretty much anywhere in the world - no matter where you're going, there's bound to be something going on! But if you're wanting to visit the Burj Khalifa anyway, then you might want to visit at New Year's - because the skyscraper has a famous fireworks show, which you can imagine is pretty amazing with that view! Not only that, there's also a laser show! If you want to attend, you have to register ahead of time with the app to gain access to one of the viewing areas. It's free to register, you just need a QR code to show the people who can let you in!

39. Make sure you get the right tickets

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So when you're booking your viewing slot and tickets for the Burj Khalifa, it's not just one type of tour, and one type of ticket - so you need to be sure you're getting the right one for what you're after. There is actually more than one observation deck in this skyscraper. There's one on the 124th/125th floor, and another one on the 148th floor - depending on how high you want to go! If you want to do all, you'll need a ticket for the 148th floor, which includes the 124th and the 125th. If you don't want to go so high, you'll just need a ticket for the 124th/125th floor deck.

40. The 148th ticket will include access to a lounge

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If you're looking for something a little extra, and a few more amenities for your visit to the Burj Khalifa, then you'll want to go for the 148th observation deck ticket, because this one includes access to a lounge at the top. There won't be a lounge included in the 124th/125th floor tickets. For the 148th one, you can stop off in the lounge as you wait for the life to the observation deck, which will include coffee and a snack. This one is also a good option if you're hoping to avoid busy queues and waiting in line. The lower floor tickets don't have a lounge, but they do have a telescope!

41. Other places in Dubai you have to see: Dubai Aquarium

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Once you're done with the Burj Khalifa exploration, and even after you've visited the fountain and that's got you in the mood for a little more water exploration, you next need to head to Dubai Aquarium - and Underwater Zoo! Located in the downtown area, you can actually find it in the Dubai Mall on the ground floor, and it has a whopping 10 million liters of water with over 30,000 different types of marine animals for you to visit. And if you love mermaids, you can even catch a show. There's also a virtual reality tour for wildlife adventures!

42. Palm Jumeirah

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Around 17km out of the city center of Dubai, you can find the Palm Jumeirah. It's basically an artificial collection of islands spreading out in front of you. When you look from overhead, you will spot the palm tree its named after, surrounded by a circle - the design is meant to make it look that way! It was originally a huge tourism project, and inside this area you can find a waterpark, another aquarium and even a bridge that you can step through to get from the mainland! If you happen to be taking an aerial tour of Dubai during your trip, this is something you'll want a bird's eye view of, too.

43. Global Village

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Located in Bur Dubai, this village was created with tourism in mind, so where else are you going to want to be? Global Village was inspired by international cultures, including entertainment and leisure attractions to keep you busy. It's a must see for lovers of shopping while on vacation, and especially if you have a family in toe to keep entertained. This event is part of the Dubai Shopping Festival, and takes place from the end of fall to early spring, every year. You can expect food from lots of different cultures, rides to enjoy and even street performers!

44. The Dubai Mall

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We mentioned that the aquarium and zoo was on the ground floor of the Dubai Mall, so why not take the whole mall in while you're there? Two huge tourist attractions with one stone! This shopping center has over 500,000 square meters to explore and to spend your hard-earned cash. It's not only huge, but it's one of the biggest shopping malls in the world. It's also won a vote for the best shopping experience in the world! As well as the zoo, you can also find a cinema, a place for the family to play in the gaming zone, and even an ice rink!

45. Aquaventure Waterpark

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If the idea of shopping inside a mall isn't your thing, and even visiting a zoo isn't high on your priority list, we bet this waterpark will be an option you won't want to miss! This one is based in the Atlantis hotel complex, based in the palm island location we just spoke about as a must-see. It's one of the largest waterparks you can find in Dubai, so if you can only go to one, you need it to be this one! It has rides like Tower of Neptune, and Tower of Poseidon, as well as normal pools if you just want to take a dip and avoid too much adrenaline!

46. Dubai Miracle Garden

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The name should be enough to get you to want to go to this beautiful place! This one can be found in the entertainment complex known as Dubailand, and it's actually one of the largest natural flower gardens across the world! So if you're a lover of beautiful things in bloom and can only go to one natural flower garden in your life, make it this one! It runs across 72,000 square meters, so there are plenty of flowers for you to see - and by plenty, we mean over 45 millions flowers and plants. It's great if you want to escape the bustle of the city during your trip, too.

47. Dubai Desert Safari

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If water isn't really you're thing and you're looking for land - very dry land at that - then why not head on a desert safari? Located only under 10km from the city center, you can find a ton of things to do on your own desert safari adventure, depending on what you'd like to do. You can either camp out and have a relaxing time enjoying the cuisine and cultural performance, or you can go for something a little more extreme and try out quad biking on the dunes, ride a camel or even go sandboarding. Or do all of the above, why not!

48. Burj Al Arab

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It's enough just to stick this one on your to do list, but if you want to go one better, you can even make it your hotel of choice for your trip, so you can actually stay there! The Burj Al Arab is found off Jumeriah road, on one of the artificial islands, and it's not too far from the city center, either, so it's a great location. It's that famous hotel that looks like the sail of a dhow ship - we've all seen pictures of it! Now pictures can become a reality. This beautiful hotel will definitely have you feeling like royalty - but if you can't afford to stay, you can still visit and take it all in.

49. Jumeriah Beach

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We've had shopping malls, waterparks, natural gardens, stunning hotels and even sand dunes - so what's missing? A beautiful beach to add to your trip itinerary! This is one of the best beaches in Dubai, and you can find it to the south of the Al Faihidi district, which is one of Dubai's most historical locations. You can expect stunning white sand and a beach that's surrounded by beautiful, photo-worthy resorts. So while you're relaxing at the beach, you won't just be staring off into nothing - you'll have all the wonders of Dubai attractions around you to see!

50. Bastakiya town

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If you want to experience a feeling of tradition during your visit, then you'll definitely want to visit Bastakiya, which is the more traditional town offering in Dubai, and more old than new. Get away from all the new modern lights and buildings and visit this historical spot, where you can actually take in a heritage walk on an official tour and learn about Arabian history and architecture. If you do get a tour, you'll be led through the winding, narrow lanes and you can even take part in some shopping if you have money to spend!