A Tall Feat
Although Burj Khalifa is twice as high as the Empire State Building it does share one thing in common with its half-pint predecessor. Construction of both buildings commenced during an unprecedented economic boom only to be completed in the midst of a depression. Let’s hope the new 2,717 ft. tower will stand tall through many economic upticks and downturns to come.
Previously known as Burj Dubai, the tower was renamed today during the grand opening ceremony in honor of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, ruler of oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi. The new name is a well-deserved “thank you” to the sheik who pumped tens of billions of dollars into Dubai last year to help finance its enormous debts after the real estate bubble burst.
The height of the tower is staggering. It’s so big it’s nearly impossible to capture the building in a single photo. Talk about keystoning! A ground floor chiropractor could make a mint treating strained necks. Window washers will never run out of work. (There’s something like 24,000 windows!)
What sort of person desires to live at the top a half mile from terra firma—orbiting the planet? Someone does. Someone who can afford to live large is already residing up there enjoying their remote lookout in lavish style atop another monument to human ingenuity.
Here then the lofty giants that sway in the shadow of this new world’s tallest building:
#1 Burj Khalifa, Dubai : 2,217 ft. (828m)
#2 Shanghai World Finance Center, China : 1,615 ft. (492m)
#3 Taipei 101, Taiwan : 1,470 ft. (448m) (not including the antenna)
#4 Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia : 1,483 ft. (452m)
#5 Willis Tower (Formerly Sears Tower), Chicago, USA : 1,451 ft. (442.3m)
#8 2 International Finance Centre, Hong Kong, China : 1,358 ft. (413.8m)
#11 Empire State Building, New York, USA : 1,250 ft. (381m) (not including the antenna)
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