DubaI Two new observatory decks opened to the public on the 125th and 148th floors at the Burj Khalifa from Wednesday - at a cost of Dh400 for a pre-booking and Dh500 for immediate entry.
At 555 metres, the 148th floor At the Top Sky is 24 floors higher than the 124th floor At The Top, making it the tallest observatory deck in the world. The record was announced by the Guinness Book of World Records at the unveiling of the deck on Tuesday.
As select invitees to the ‘Touch the Sky’ launch began to scale the Burj in an elevator at nine metres a second at around half past 10, there was no telling that the world’s tallest tower would be undoing itself yet again.
Record-breaking revolution
Omar Talal, Guinness’ country manager, said: “The UAE is at the centre of the record-breaking revolution. Dubai holds over 130 Guinness World Record titles and Burj Khalifa alone has six – it is the world’s tallest building, the tallest manmade structure, has the highest elevator, highest restaurant from ground level (At.mosphere), highest residential apartments and the maximum number of floors.”
He said with At the Top Sky, Burj Khalifa had not only outdone the 488 metre Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China but also its own track of setting records to become the highest man-made vantage point on earth.
Distinct from the Dh125 general admission or Dh300 fast track entry at the 124th level, the experience at the 125th and 148th floors comes at a premium of Dh400-500.
Breathtaking views apart, At the Top Sky has a life-size interactive screen where visitors can use hi-tech hand sensors to zero in on different parts of the city. There’s also a retail boutique selling souvenirs.
On the 828 metre Level 125, visitors can get a 360 degree view of the city. A ‘Falcon’s Eye View’ gives them a virtual tour of prominent destinations.
Burj Khalifa, which attracted over 1.8 million visitors in 2013, hopes to surpass the number with the new deck additions. Ahmed Al Falasi, executive director (property management), Emaar, said: “At the Top is one of the world’s most compelling tourist attractions today. With the introduction of Sky, we are scaling up the entire journey to Burj Khalifa by offering a truly premium experience that will be lifetime’s memory for every visitor.”
