At the Top (Burj Khalifa)
At the Top is an outdoor observation deck on the Burj Khalifa. It opened on 5 January 2010 on the 124th floor. At 452 m (1,483 ft), it was the highest outdoor observation deck in the world when it opened.[1] [2][3]
Although it was surpassed in December 2011 by Cloud Top 488 on the Canton Tower, Guangzhou at 488 m (1,601 ft),[4] Burj Khalifa opened the 148th floor SKY level at 555 m (1,821 ft), once again giving it the highest observation deck in the world on 15 October 2014,[5][6] until the Shanghai Tower opened in June 2016 with an observation deck at a height of 561 metres.[7] The 124th floor observation deck also features the electronic telescope, an augmented reality device developed by Gsmprjct° of Montréal, which allows visitors to view the surrounding landscape in real-time, and to view previously saved images such as those taken at different times of day or under different weather conditions.[8][9][10] To reduce the daily rush of sightseers, management allows visitors to purchase tickets in advance for a specific date and time, at a 75% discount on tickets purchased on the spot.[11]
On 8 February 2010, the observation deck was closed to the public for two months after power-supply problems caused an elevator to become stuck between floors, trapping a group of tourists for 45 minutes.[12][13][14][15][16]
When the tide is low and visibility is high, people can see the shores of Iran from the top of the skyscraper.[17]
SKY level
The Burj Khalifa also opened another observation deck relating to At the Top, on the 148th floor, called the SKY level.[18] This allowed the Burj Khalifa to have once again the title of the highest observation deck in the world, surpassing the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, although it was later surpassed by the Shanghai Tower.[19][8]
It still holds the record for the highest outdoor terrace in the world, and the highest restaurant in the world.[18]
References
- "Burj Dubai Observation Deck Opens to The Public On Jan 5". Bayut.com. 4 January 2010. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
- Pitrelli, Monica Buchanan (July 20, 2020). "What to expect from the world's top attractions in the age of coronavirus". CNBC.
- Bloom, Laura Begley. "Bucket List Travel: The Top 50 Places In The World In 2021". Forbes.
- "Cloud Top 488 on Canton Tower Opened to public". The People`s Government of Guangzhou Municipality. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- Willett, Megan (17 October 2014). "Dubai's Burj Khalifa Now Has The Highest Observation Deck In The World At 1,821 Feet, And It Looks Incredible". businessinsider.com. Business Insider. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- "At the Top, Burj Khalifa Experience". burjkhalifa.ae. Burj Khalifa. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- "How the world's highest observation decks stack up". Los Angeles Times. March 12, 2020.
- "Augmented Reality – gsmprjct°". gsmprjct°. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- "At the Top, Burj Khalifa". gsmprjct°. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- "Une firme québécoise dans la plus haute tour du monde". Journal de Montréal (in French). 4 January 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
- "'At The Top' Observation Deck Ticket Information". Emaar Properties. Archived from the original on 7 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
- "Emaar Says Burj Khalifa Observation Deck Closed for Maintenance". Bloomberg. 8 February 2010. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
- Tomlinson, Hugh (10 February 2010). "Terrifying lift ordeal at Burj Khalifa tower, the world's tallest building". The Times. UK. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
- "World's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, reopens observation deck". The Guardian. UK. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
- "Burj Khalifa observation deck reopens". GulfNews.com. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
- Rackl, Lori (5 April 2010). "Machu Picchu and Burj Khalifa back in biz". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
- "The View From Dubai". The New York Times. 6 October 2013.
- Willett-Wei, Megan. "Dubai's Burj Khalifa Now Has The Highest Observation Deck In The World At 1,821 Feet, And It Looks Incredible". Business Insider.
- "Observation Deck | Burj Khalifa". August 29, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-29.