With the start of a new year and a new decade, Dubai unveiled what is now the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, which stretches to a height of 2,717 feet. To put that in perspective, the San Francisco Bay Area’s Mt. Tamalpais reaches a height of 2,574 feet, which means that Dubai’s new building is taller than a mountain.
In addition to apartments and offices, the world’s highest swimming pool and mosque, and a hotel designed by Georgio Armani, the building will also have something for tourists to add to their “must-do” lists: the observation deck on the 124th floor, which boasts views beyond the cityscape into the surrounding desert and toward human-made islands in the shapes of palm trees.
So, what is it about tourists and tall buildings? Is it one of those, “if you build it, they will come” kind of things? Take something like the Eiffel Tower, which really doesn’t exist for any other practical purpose than to ferry tourists up and down between its dizzying floors to overlook the city and Seine. For that you can bet it’s at the top of most first-time tourist’s to-do lists.
To get to the top of tall buildings, someone has figured out that people are willing to spend tall amounts of bucks. It’s 13 euro just to reach the top of old Eiffey, and that’s if you can get away without buying any souvenirs. An express pass to the very top of the Empire State Building in New York will cost you no less than $41.52, plus tax, making the express pass to the Willis Tower in Chicago a relative bargain at just $30 smackers.
There’s also a certain amount of luxury associated with these tall towers. I still remember when, as a small girl in pre-9/11 New York City, my parents splurged and took us to the top of the World Trade Center, where we ate dinner at the revolving restaurant Windows on the World. We got all dressed up, and the views were dizzying, and we pretended we were fancy—it was the one and only time I ever had escargot.
The new Burj Khalifa building is said to be built to withstand a terrorist attack. It’s sad that we live in that kind of world now, that sheer height makes a target—but after what happened to the World Trade Center, it’s clear that these buildings are worth fortifying and protecting, for tourists and locals alike.
What are some of your favorite tall buildings?
Comments
Jan 05, 2010
I get dizzy just standing on the curb, so I guess I'm saving smackers, euro, and donuts, not to mention vertigo, by being too much of a coward even to go in a glass elevator in a hotel.
Who knew that a yellow stripe could keep so much green in my wallet?
Jan 05, 2010
I have heard about this building. I would like to try the fastest elevator in the world in this building. The price of renting is absolutely insanely expensive.
Jan 05, 2010
Unfortunately, like most of Dubai, it was built by slaves. I will stay far, far away. I will not put one dollar into their economy. The stories coming out of there are horrifying.
http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/worlds_tallest_building_unv...
Jan 06, 2010
In many places the tallest building isn't very tall, but it still draws crowds because 1) it's there, and getting to the top of it is considered an achievement by many if not most people, and 2) the views and photo opps it provides. In centuries-old Italian hill towns, for instance, the bell tower or cathedral dome is tiny compared to a skyscraper, but as the tallest site available it's as big of an attraction. In fact, the not very tall tallest building affords a far more intimate and colorful experience than the recordholding skyscrapers.
Washington, DC offers an example of the contrast. There's of course the Washington Monument (or "Big Pencil" as many of us locals call it). Lesser known, and a lot shorter, is the observation tower at the Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Ave. It's a shrimp compared to the Monument, but it puts you high up and right in the middle of a major part of historic downtown, where you can enjoy and inspect the rooftops and treetops without binoculars.
Jan 06, 2010
I have heard about this building but I doubt it will be a success in the present economical condition
Jan 18, 2010
I think it is great to enjoy the spectacular views from the high floors of these tall buildings. It is a wonderful experience.