When was Burj Khalifa built?
Updated October 27, 2026
Quick answer
Burj Khalifa was built between 2004 and 2010. Construction began in January 2004, the tower reached its full height of 829.8 m on 17 January 2009, the exterior was finished on 1 October 2009 and it opened on 4 January 2010, six years after work started.
The tower went up in about five years and was open to the public about a year after that. Wikipedia gives the start of construction as 6 January 2004 in its summary box and 12 January 2004 in its text; both agree on January 2004, when excavation began, with piling following in February. The building was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and built for the developer Emaar Properties by a team led by Samsung C&T with BESIX and Arabtec. It opened as the Burj Khalifa, renamed on the day from Burj Dubai. Its first observation deck, At the Top, opened a day later, on 5 January 2010. Today the Levels 124 & 125 ticket starts at $51 (AED 189, at 1 USD = 3.6725 AED).
Start and completion dates
Excavation started in January 2004 and piling in February 2004. The foundation uses about 45,000 m³ of concrete and 192 piles, according to Wikipedia. Emaar's contractors began building the tower itself on 21 September 2004, and the structure started to rise in March 2005. The concrete core and the steel spire reached their final height of 829.8 m on 17 January 2009, the topping-out. The exterior cladding was finished on 1 October 2009. The tower opened on 4 January 2010, and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat certified it as the world's tallest building on 10 March 2010.
- Construction begins — January 2004
- Topped out — 17 January 2009
- Exterior complete — 1 October 2009
- Official opening — 4 January 2010
How long it took
From excavation to opening took six years: about five years to reach full height and one more to finish the exterior and interiors. Wikipedia puts the work at about 22 million man-hours. In June 2008, around 7,500 skilled workers were on site, most of them from South and East Asia. The build used about 330,000 m³ of concrete, 55,000 tonnes of steel rebar and more than 26,000 glass panels. Concrete was poured at night in summer, with ice added to the mix to slow cracking. Labour conditions drew criticism: a BBC investigation and a Human Rights Watch report described poor housing and long hours for low pay. Our guide to how Burj Khalifa was built covers the engineering.
Opening in 2010
The opening ceremony on 4 January 2010 is when the tower got its name: Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, announced that Burj Dubai would be called Burj Khalifa after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE president. At the Top, the deck on level 124 at 452 m, opened the next day. It closed on 8 February 2010 after an elevator stalled between floors for 45 minutes and reopened on 5 April 2010. The Armani Hotel Dubai opened on 27 April 2010. Wikipedia records that the tower became fully operational on 23 January 2011, when its last major facility opened.
Milestones
The tower broke records long before it opened. Wikipedia lists the milestones below. Since opening, two more decks have been added: SKY on level 148 in October 2014, and the Lounge on levels 152 to 154 on 18 February 2019. Each New Year's Eve the tower is the centre of Dubai's fireworks and light show; in 2018 Guinness World Records recognised Emaar for the largest light and sound show on a single building. See New Year's Eve at Burj Khalifa for tickets and viewing spots.
- June 2006 — Level 50 reached
- 21 July 2007 — Passes Taipei 101 as the world's tallest building
- 12 September 2007 — Passes the CN Tower as the tallest freestanding structure
- 7 April 2008 — Becomes the tallest human-made structure, at 629 m
- 17 January 2009 — Topped out at 829.8 m
Frequently asked questions
When was Burj Khalifa completed?
It topped out on 17 January 2009, the exterior was finished on 1 October 2009, and it opened on 4 January 2010.
How long did it take to build Burj Khalifa?
About six years from the start of excavation in January 2004 to the opening in January 2010, and about five years to reach full height.
When did Burj Khalifa open to the public?
The tower opened on 4 January 2010 and the At the Top deck on 5 January 2010.
How many workers built Burj Khalifa?
About 7,500 skilled workers were on site in June 2008, and the project took about 22 million man-hours, according to Wikipedia.
How old is Burj Khalifa?
It opened on 4 January 2010, so it turns 17 in January 2027.
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