The construction of the building spanned over five years from September 2004 to October 2009 and the building was opened for public viewing in January 2010. Prior to its opening, the building was named Burj Dubai, but later the name was changed to Burj Khalifa to honor the support and contribution of the president of UAE, H. H.Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in the development of the building and area.

Burj Khalifa has an observation deck on the 124th floor which is open for public viewing every day for about 30 minutes. From the observation point you can get amazing views of the coast and the island. The tower has one of the fastest double-decker elevators.

The tower was designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill, and the design is inspired by the desert plant 'Hymenocallis.' The Burj Khalifa is a multi-use tower with residential homes, commercial spaces, hotels, the Dubai Mall and 3 hectares of parkland. The tower is surrounded by the Burj Khalifa Lake and in front of the building is a beautiful fountain that has 6,600 lights with 50 color projectors, the water reaching to an amazing height of 250m. The Burj Khalifa Park in the surroundings of the tower is extravagant with attractively designed walkways, gardens and several pools and water jets.

Visitors can enjoy cuisines from all around the world at one of the restaurants in Burj Khalifa. Enjoy the experience of dining at one of the world's highest restaurant, the Atmosphere, situated at 442 meters on the 122nd floor. There are also a number of dining options in the Dubai Mall. All the food provided in the restaurants is halal.