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Dubai rings in 2022 with fireworks at Burj Khalifa. Photo: Dubai Media Office
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The Burj Khalifa construction site on April 29, 2005, in Dubai. Rabih Moghrabi / AFP
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Construction under way on Downtown Dubai and Business Bay on January, 29, 2006. Nasser Younes / AFP
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A camel handler exercises his animals along Nad Al Sheba track, in front of the Burj Khalifa Downtown Dubai construction site on April 2, 2007. Karim Sahib / AFP
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Construction is under way on Burj Khalifa in 2007. Pawan Singh / The National
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Construction under way on the very top of Burj Khalifa on December 17, 2008. Paulo Vecina / The National
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Burj Khalifa and the surrounding Downtown Dubai area still under construction during a media tour of the area on January 26, 2009. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
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Fireworks are set off during the inauguration of Burj Khalifa on January 4, 2010. Jeff Topping / The National
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Burj Khalifa pictured on January 26, 2010, days after it opened to the public. Randi Sokoloff / The National
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Tom Cruise is filmed running along the outside of Burj Khalifa for Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol on November 5, 2010. Pawan Singh / The National
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The Downtown Dubai skyline protrudes from early morning fog on September 6, 2011. Pawel Dwulit / The National
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Burj Khalifa surrounded by fog on February 11, 2012. Jeff Topping / The National
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Visitors take photos of Burj Khalifa during the Eid holidays in Dubai on August 10, 2013. Satish Kumar / The National
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Burj Khalifa pictured from the metro on September 3, 2014. Pawan Singh / The National
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Children look at Burj Khalifa, while the lights are switched off during Earth Hour on March 28, 2015. Jeff Topping / The National
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Burj Khalifa pictured from City Walk on April 2, 2016. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
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A full moon rises above the Burj Khalifa on August 7, 2017. Christopher Pike / The National
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Burj Khalifa lights up in the colours of Saudi Flag to celebrate the kingdom's 88th National Day on September 21, 2018. Satish Kumar for The National
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Between the 111th and 73rd floor, 11 window cleaners wash Burj Khalifa's facade on September 17, 2019. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Fireworks go off on December 31, 2020, to celebrate the New Year. Antonie Robertson / The National
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Dubai rings in 2022 with fireworks at Burj Khalifa. Photo: Dubai Media Office
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The Burj Khalifa construction site on April 29, 2005, in Dubai. Rabih Moghrabi / AFP
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Construction under way on Downtown Dubai and Business Bay on January, 29, 2006. Nasser Younes / AFP
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A camel handler exercises his animals along Nad Al Sheba track, in front of the Burj Khalifa Downtown Dubai construction site on April 2, 2007. Karim Sahib / AFP
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Construction is under way on Burj Khalifa in 2007. Pawan Singh / The National
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Construction under way on the very top of Burj Khalifa on December 17, 2008. Paulo Vecina / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/A2XPBW6W7YRSZDVFR4E5OO46Y4.jpg?smart=true&auth=15cd7f5d976147725ab6a5ec939a7b4f994602eca4d12bc270464c608a4a77c9&width=400&height=225)
Burj Khalifa and the surrounding Downtown Dubai area still under construction during a media tour of the area on January 26, 2009. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SU47QCV54TGV4JQW6UYOUAOKJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=1c0480cce0da7a783386f131ce9a02cbbaa4bf7896f80be15abe6101ee0f62f6&width=400&height=225)
Fireworks are set off during the inauguration of Burj Khalifa on January 4, 2010. Jeff Topping / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/K2L4AKJYEVVX7ASFAMWVGDRDT4.jpg?smart=true&auth=d20a4469c9a4b88ecb0febf86b6b8f790187786d9fc4611996d554637cd2eb26&width=400&height=225)
Burj Khalifa pictured on January 26, 2010, days after it opened to the public. Randi Sokoloff / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZPWIV3XKF37W2NPH5HAJ4JQOVM.jpg?smart=true&auth=5343711187c13ae5a514ae212b86bb3faafe3d0f4020503fc0aa36a27accd3d4&width=400&height=225)
Tom Cruise is filmed running along the outside of Burj Khalifa for Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol on November 5, 2010. Pawan Singh / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KNZDDNURVZSDBZKHUWXPNNOCQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=860d2b8d173c6c98009dcc7fceb41a2edd6dbee576631c2e423a182a5359053f&width=400&height=225)
The Downtown Dubai skyline protrudes from early morning fog on September 6, 2011. Pawel Dwulit / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FDXBLRAZEGY3KDBJGFKP7APWBE.jpg?smart=true&auth=8c4a8ceef8b3640bf86870a2d7c1756299d04aaed4f6fa3f4e3a3c30fbcbbeb9&width=400&height=225)
Burj Khalifa surrounded by fog on February 11, 2012. Jeff Topping / The National
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Visitors take photos of Burj Khalifa during the Eid holidays in Dubai on August 10, 2013. Satish Kumar / The National
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Burj Khalifa pictured from the metro on September 3, 2014. Pawan Singh / The National
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Children look at Burj Khalifa, while the lights are switched off during Earth Hour on March 28, 2015. Jeff Topping / The National
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Burj Khalifa pictured from City Walk on April 2, 2016. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
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A full moon rises above the Burj Khalifa on August 7, 2017. Christopher Pike / The National
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Burj Khalifa lights up in the colours of Saudi Flag to celebrate the kingdom's 88th National Day on September 21, 2018. Satish Kumar for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AAGV7LYESQMGILZW2DQSN2LEPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e185255f30edc2b1b9d8f7fbafccd024cf307138e6e2ecc44678a3c719b75a31&width=400&height=225)
Between the 111th and 73rd floor, 11 window cleaners wash Burj Khalifa's facade on September 17, 2019. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Fireworks go off on December 31, 2020, to celebrate the New Year. Antonie Robertson / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LHFHQRU25NEANA6ZK3UHLEQ7TM.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0cb1d4b23e2525c37a28f665c1c34908cfa16a7010f78398c416b4fef8e6b69&width=400&height=225)
Dubai rings in 2022 with fireworks at Burj Khalifa. Photo: Dubai Media Office
How Dubai's Burj Khalifa hit the heights
Always planned as the world's tallest building, the only question was by how much?
![James Langton](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F59aec61e-41b3-468c-8a69-57168338145b.png?smart=true&auth=20537dd68c837a65707d347b248e74bad34b378390f02a7be13b68d756185b99&width=70&height=70)
James Langton
22 August, 2023
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