The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, stands as the tallest building on the planet. Its official height is 828 meters (2,717 feet) — a staggering figure that no other completed skyscraper even comes close to matching.
Completed in 2010, the tower stands 163 floors above ground, featuring offices, residences, hotels, and observation decks. It holds multiple height records, and its sheer scale redefines what is possible for skyscrapers.
Burj Khalifa at a Glance
Floors: 163
Architectural Height: 828 m / 2,717 ft
Height to Tip: 829.8 m / 2,723 ft
Highest Occupied Floor: 585.4 m / 1,921 ft
Vanity Height: 244 m / 801 ft (29% of total height)
Note: The tower’s spire is part of the official architectural height — not just an antenna. Vanity height is the unoccupied upper section above the highest floor, which accounts for 29% of the total height.
Thank you, Photographers! Mohamed Reshad, Jake De-bique, Sahil Moosa on Unsplash
How Does It Stack Up?
At 828 meters (2,717 feet), the Burj Khalifa stands far above every other skyscraper in the world. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) defines any building over 300 meters as “supertall,” and the Burj Khalifa nearly triples that benchmark.
Its nearest rival, Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, currently stands as the second-tallest skyscraper on Earth at 679 meters (2,227 feet). Yet the Burj Khalifa surpasses it by 150 meters (492 feet).
To put that in perspective, 150 meters is tall enough to be considered a skyscraper in its own right. That means the extra height the Burj Khalifa has over Merdeka 118 could itself be another skyscraper sitting on top.
Here’s how it compares to other famous tall buildings, including the Merdeka 118, Shanghai Tower, Taipei 101, Empire State Building, and the Eiffel Tower:
Highest Publicly Accessible Place on Earth
The Burj Khalifa’s lounge, located at approximately 585.4 meters (1,919 feet) above ground, is the highest publicly accessible place inside any skyscraper in the world. While not an official observation deck, this exclusive lounge offers visitors and guests unparalleled views, towering above nearly every other building’s total height worldwide.
Thank you, Photographers! Shibin Joseph and Thomas Haas on Unsplash
Why Is the Burj Khalifa So Much Taller?
Approximately 29% of the tower’s height is “vanity height” — the unoccupied 244-meter (801 ft) spire section above the highest floor. While some may see this as extra “show,” it’s what pushes the Burj Khalifa’s height so far beyond other skyscrapers.
Summary
- The Burj Khalifa is 828 meters (2,717 feet) tall with 163 floors.
- It towers 150 meters taller than the next tallest building, the Merdeka 118.
- Its lounge at 585.4 meters (1,919 feet) is the world’s highest public space in a skyscraper.
- It more than doubles the height of many famous landmarks, including the Empire State Building and Eiffel Tower.
- It’s the ultimate symbol of skyscraper achievement — a height record unlikely to be broken anytime soon.