Less than two centuries ago, Dubai was just a sleepy Middle Eastern fishing community. With the discovery of oil beds in the 1960s and the decision in the 1980s to transform this commercial port into a fashionable worldwide tourist destination, the city’s fortunes turned around (for the better).
New landmarks began popping up all over Dubai’s skyline, and the city’s impressive collection of skyscrapers continued to expand at a breakneck pace. The city is currently the proud owner of the world’s most inventive and inspirational architecture. Inhale deeply and prepare to be awed by the most famous buildings in Dubai.
Most Famous Buildings in Dubai
For many years, most of Dubai’s buildings were relatively short or moderate in height. But it was before the oil rush of the 1960s. The United Arab Emirates has capitalized on its newfound affluence by marketing itself as a top-tier tourism destination.
The city is now home to some of the world’s most impressive buildings, including the Burj Al Arab, the world’s first 7-star hotel, and the Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world. Here we are going to introduce you to the most popular ones.
Burj Khalifa; The best building in Dubai
The Burj Khalifa, built by Emaar, is without question Dubai’s most recognizable structure. The landmark tower’s height of 2,716.5 feet makes it the highest structure on Earth. Excavation for the project started in 2004 and the building formally opened to the public in 2010.
Top Features of Burj Khalifa
The building perfectly embodies the goals set forward by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. Its prime location in Downtown Dubai, the city’s busiest shopping and entertainment district, makes it an even better investment.
Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest free-standing skyscraper, is an asset to the emirate’s real estate and tourist sectors. It is a multi-purpose structure in addition to being a well-known landmark. Living in Burj Khalifa Dubai will provide you with a swimming pool, fitness center, sauna, and steam rooms.
Burj Al Arab; The most astonishing building in Dubai
The Burj Al Arab, which stands at an impressive 321 meters, is instantly recognizable due to its distinctive design. The first stone was laid on this building all the way back in 1994. It took another three years to complete the hotel after another two years were spent on the island it lies on.
More than two thousand people were working on the project at any one moment, according to conservative estimates. Plus, the proposal included the work of around 250 designers from Dubai, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Top Features of Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab is situated about 280 meters offshore and is 14 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. A sloping bridge links the island to the mainland, allowing visitors easy access.
The views from its duplex rooms on the Arabian Gulf are quite breathtaking. One of the apartments, the Royal Suite, contains a full-sized jacuzzi, movie room, master baths, and even a library.
Its self-proclaimed 7-star status makes it one of Dubai’s most opulent hotels. Guests will find abundant activities to partake in while staying at the Burj Al Arab.
Dubai World Trade Center; An eye-catching building in Dubai
The Dubai World Commerce Centre (DWTC), formerly known as the Sheikh Rashid Tower, was opened in 1979 and has been essential to the growth of the city’s commercial tourism and trade ever since. Located near Sheikh Zayed Road in the heart of the emirate’s financial center, DWTC is a purpose-built skyscraper suited for exhibits and conferences.
Top Features of Dubai World Trade Center
From 1979 to 1999, it held the title of UAE’s tallest structure. Although it is no longer known as such, the complex is significant because it facilitates international commerce in the Middle East. Because of its historical significance, the World Trade Center is shown on the United Arab Emirates AED 100 bill.
More than 1.3 million square feet of event and exhibition space is available in the DWTC building, which is part of a larger mixed-use complex. It also contains residential buildings, such as serviced apartments and duplexes, for people to live in. The World Trade Centre is home to several apartments available for rent, some of which provide amenities, including a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and access for those with special needs.
Creek tower; Beautiful and tall building in Dubai
Dubai plans to challenge its own claim as the site of the world’s tallest structure by constructing a new mega-tall tower. Following the 2010 completion of Dubai’s 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa, Saudi Arabia began building the Jeddah Tower, which, if finished, would stand at the height of 1007 meters.
To counter this, Dubai built the Creek Tower. The tower’s foundational barrettes have been placed to a depth of 75 meters. There are so many interesting facts about Creek Tower that you should know.
Top features of Creek Tower
Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish-Swiss architect, and engineer, was commissioned to create the design for the Dubai Creek Habour development. This new downtown neighborhood would include a mega-mall. The cityscape is on the other side of Dubai Creek.
Despite claims that a desert flower inspired the tower’s design, a closer inspection reveals that it more closely resembles a rocket poised for launch after its anchor wires have been cut.
It’s worth mentioning that you should pay a visit to Creek park. This park is so beautiful, and you can find so many things to do at Creek park Dubai.
Cayan Tower; Eye-popping twisted building in Dubai
You wouldn’t be the first to perform a double take at the sight of Cayan Tower. The tower’s eye-popping twisted design is enough to have anybody pull out their cell phone and begin taking shots. The building’s distinctive spiral design makes it stand out among the other tall buildings in Dubai Marina, which stands at a towering 307 meters in height.
All of its 75 stories were created according to the same plan. But 1.2 degrees of rotation clockwise is applied to each successive level. The consequence is that the structure rotates at 90 degrees throughout its whole length.
Top Features of Cayan Tower
Besides being an aesthetic beauty, Cayan Tower’s distinctive helix design has a useful purpose. Curved architecture has the added benefit of minimizing the force of severe winds while shielding the interior from the sun.
Located near Dubai Marina, Cayan Tower is one of the highest residential structures in Dubai. Cayan Tower offers both furnished and unfurnished apartments, including features such as a swimming pool and a 24-hour concierge.
Jumeirah Emirates Towers with eye-catching silvery design
You may have noticed that symmetry wasn’t always a priority when designers built some of Dubai’s most recognizable structures. One of them is the Jumeirah Emirates Towers. One tower is much higher than the other in this building. The towers have an eye-catching silvery triangle design clad in aluminum panels with copper and silver reflecting glass.
Top Features of Jumeirah Emirates Towers
The Jumeirah Emirates Towers can be found on Sheikh Zayed Road in the heart of the city’s commercial area, near both the DIFC Dubai and the Dubai International Convention Centre and Exhibition Halls. Beginning in 1996, work on the twin towers continued until the hotel’s grand opening in the year 2000.
Built according to traditional Islamic motifs, the complex has a 309m hotel tower and a 355m business tower. Each structure is connected to the others by a central platform called The Boulevard.
JW Marriott Marquis; A well-known building in Dubai
The JW Marriott Marquis is another well-known building in Dubai; it consists of two buildings with very similar architecture. The hotel has 1,608 rooms spread on a seven-story podium. The 72-story skyscrapers overlook the renowned Business Bay and Burj Khalifa.
Top Features of JW Marriott Marquis
The JW Marriott Marquis also has a business center, roof terrace, retail shops, health club, gym, swimming pool, conference rooms, and a large banquet hall, all of which have won various awards.
Arch group Consultants was responsible for the project’s design, aimed for the building’s aesthetic to evoke a date palm. The first of the skyscrapers twin towers was finished in 2013, while the second was finished the following year, in 2014. It was the world’s highest hotel until 2018, when another building surpassed it.
Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort; A cultural building in Dubai
The Dubai Museum, housed in Al Fahidi Fort, is only one of several cultural sites in Dubai, which is known more for its modern architecture and commercial centers.
Top Features of Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort
According to Dubai Culture, it was constructed in 1787 as both the royal palace and a defensive stronghold. At a later date, it became a weapons depot and a jail for fugitives.
It underwent extensive renovations and reopened to the public as a national museum in 1971 under the rule of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed. In 1995, an additional subterranean part was added to the museum. In the meanwhile, it is closed for refurbishment.
Jumeirah Beach Hotel; An stunning building in Dubai
The Jumeirah Beach Hotel’s stunning architectural style has become a local landmark in Dubai. You can’t look at the building and not immediately recognize its distinctive style. The building, which was meant to resemble a breaking wave, was a huge hit with observers when it was completed in 1997. Despite its sweeping design, it is nonetheless extremely tall, with a height of 34.
Top Features of Jumeirah Beach Hotel
The building’s dimensions are 104 m in height and 275 m in length, making it a 26-story skyscraper. Furthermore, the use of blue-plated glass lends the project a dreamlike fluidity evocative of its inspiration, the crashing wave.
Atkins, who also built the Dubai Opera, created the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, one of many luxurious Jumeirah properties in the city. There are more than 33,800 square feet of beachfront directly in front of the building for guests to enjoy.
Rose Rayhaan by Rotana; The world’s highest hotel in Dubai
The 333-meter-tall Rose Rayhaan by Rotana in this city held the record for the world’s highest all-hotel tower for three years until being surpassed by the 555-meter-tall Gevora Hotel and the 1,016-meter-tall JW Marriott Marquis.
Top Features of Rose Rayhaan by Rotana
This luxurious hotel has over 500 rooms spread across 72 stories, in addition to three restaurants and a spa. Its towering, postmodernist structure projects dramatically against the Dubai skyline thanks to its distinctively tapering roof and spire.
Princess Tower skyscraper in Dubai
The Princess Tower is another skyscraper that formerly held the title of highest in Dubai. The 414-foot residential skyscraper by Tameer Holding Investment features 101 stories and six levels of basement space.
Top Features of Princess Tower
When it was finished in 2012, the magnificent skyscraper in Dubai was officially the highest residential building in the world, according to the Guinness World Records and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats (CTBUH). Even if the building no longer has the status, it is nonetheless impressive.
The Princess Tower is home to 763 apartments in various floorplans (duplexes, penthouses, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom flats). You can find some of the best duplexes in Dubai in this building.
Dubai Fountain; The heart of downtown Dubai
Because of its prime position at the foot of the world’s most impressive tower, Burj Khalifa Lake has come to symbolize the heart of downtown Dubai.
Top Features of Dubai Fountain
This huge lake in the heart of Dubai is home to one of the world’s most spectacular fountain displays on its 12-hectare (30-acre) surface. With a maximum height of 152.4 meters (500 feet), the Dubai Fountain is a choreographed fountain that can spray water quite high.
It has 50 color projectors and 6,600 lights, allowing it to put on a spectacular light display right in the middle of the city. The daily spectacle is one of the city’s most visited attractions, and with good reason: it cost a stunning US$218 million to construct.
The Gate Building; The most attractive building in Dubai
Because it was modeled after the Arc de Triomphe at Champs Elysees, The Gate Building at Dubai International Financial Centre may seem recognizable to anybody who has traveled to Paris. The Arc de Triomphe is located on the Champs Elysees.
Top Features of The Gate Building
It has 15 floors and 46,000 square meters of office and retail space, making it the largest building in DIFC. The complex was developed by the Dubai branch of the American architectural company Gensler, forming a triangle with the Emirates Towers and the World Trade Centre.
Luxurious Atlantis the Palm in Dubai
The luxurious Atlantis, The Palm hotel, is the island’s most prominent landmark. When it opened in 2008 as the first five-star hotel on Dubai’s artificial islands, it cemented the city’s status as a top vacation destination.
Top Features of Atlantis the Palm
The resort takes its design features from the legendary city of Atlantis, with hints of Arabic influence. The Atlantis Rental Market Although the Palm may be a touch pricey, it is undoubtedly worthwhile.
Around 1,500 guests may stay in the building’s two towers, the West Tower and the East Tower, which the Royal Bridge Suite links. The hotel is home to the famed Lost Chambers Aquarium, which is home to over 65,000 aquatic species, such as stingrays and sharks, and luxurious suites.
Mall of the Emirates; The best indoor ski resort in Dubai
The Mall of the Emirates has been a worldwide issue since it opened in 2005. It was developed by the American company F+A Architects and is widely regarded as one of the best places to go shopping in Dubai by locals and visitors.
Top Features of Mall of the Emirates
It is easily recognizable due to its glass-roofed, domed main entrance lobby, but its most distinctive feature is Ski Dubai. This indoor ski resort stays at a constant -1 degrees Celsius all year long, even during the scorching UAE summer. The resort features a hill that is 85 meters in height and five slopes.
The Dubai Mall building; The biggest mall in the world
Dubai Mall is one of the biggest malls in the world, with a total area of 5.9 million square feet. This is equivalent to the size of more than 50 football fields. The Dubai Mall, a landmark mega-project by Emaar Properties, was unveiled in 2008 in Downtown Dubai, just across from the Burj Khalifa. It quickly rose to the top of the city’s list of must-see attractions and now welcomes an estimated 80 million people annually.
Top Features of The Dubai Mall
The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo are located in the mall, adding to its already impressive size and several stores (1,300+). Also included are two major department shops, over 200 food and beverage locations, an Olympic-sized ice rink, and a 250-room luxury hotel. Moreover, the second floor has a Reel Cinemas theater with 26 screens.
The Solar Innovation Center; Technological building in Dubai
As of November 2020, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the biggest single-site solar park in the world, was home to the Innovation Centre run by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority.
Besides this technological building, the AI Twar center is worth visiting too. However, before going there, you will need a complete guide to the AI Twar center in Dubai.
Top Features of The Solar Innovation Center
The complex has 30 interactive displays and a theatre for meetings, seminars, and training courses on solar power, renewable energy, and other green projects, to become both a public attraction and a clean-technology innovation center.
This 88-meter-tall, the four-story structure has a floor area of 4,355 square meters. Kettle Collective, the architectural company responsible for its creation, claims that it was inspired by the “divine geometry” seen in Islamic art.
Jumeirah Mosque building in Dubai with classic design
Compared to the other, more contemporary, and futuristic structures that make up Dubai’s skyline, the classic design of the Jumeirah Mosque stands out as a welcome contrast. The mosque was built in the Fatimid style, which is characteristic of Islamic architecture in Egypt throughout the Middle Ages.
Top Features of Jumeirah Mosque
Despite its imposing dimensions and elaborate construction, the mosque has a subdued air about it. In the twilight hours before sunset, this ivory tower with two minarets, several columns, and a medieval dome creates a breathtaking scene. The design of this stunning mosque is on the UAE’s 500 dirham note.
It wasn’t until 1975 that work on the Jumeirah Mosque really got underway. It took four years, but in 1979 it was finally finished. The United Arab Emirates welcomes non-Muslim visitors to this mosque.
Address Sky View hotel; Best iconic towers in Dubai
Designed by the same team behind the Burj Khalifa, this new structure has not one but two iconic towers connected by a sky bridge and topped by a cantilevered viewing platform with 360-degree vistas.
The 260-meter-tall, five-star hotel has 117 floors, more than 150 guest rooms, condominiums, a spa, several restaurants, and a 70-meter-long infinity pool.
Dusit Thani building; The first flagship hotel in Dubai
The city of Bangkok is home to the headquarters of the Thai global hospitality firm known as Dusit Thani. Their “folded hand” logo was immediately recognizable when they opened their first flagship hotel in Dubai. Amazing in every way, this tower is widely regarded as one of Dubai’s most iconic attractions.
Top Features of Dusit Thani
Dusit represents the fourth tier of the seven heavenly spheres in Thai mythology. Guests of the Dusit Thani hotel are greeted with the traditional Thai gesture of folded hands in prayer, which is reflected in the hotel’s exterior design. The Earth Check Gold Certification made this hotel the first of its kind in the Gulf nations.
Khatib & Alami began working on the design and construction of this illustrious structure in 1998. In 2001, it first welcomed customers.
Al Rostamani Maze Tower in Dubai
The Washington Post reportedly called Adrian Fisher the “Michael Jordan of labyrinth design.” So it’s no surprise that the “world’s first” vertical maze can be seen outside this building on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Front and back balcony lines were meticulously designed to seem like two independent puzzles. The structure is made up of ten different kinds of natural stone, including black slate, Siberian white marble, and Verde Bahia, which was sharpened using a water jet.
O-14 building; The best striking design in Dubai
Despite its many accolades, this isn’t necessarily a well-known structure, yet its striking design stands out in Business Bay.
Top Features of O-14 building
The Swiss Cheese is a 22-story office building famous for its metal frame covering that is 40 centimeters thick and has 1,300 openings. Some say that the one-meter gap between the façade and the windows allows hot air to escape and cold air to enter.
Architects Reiser + Umemoto created an airy interior focused on natural light. There are stores, workplaces, and four levels of parking garages there.
The first skyscraper in Dubai; The Opus
The Opus is the first skyscraper in Dubai that embodies this kind of novel and extraordinary idea. This is the only building in Dubai designed by the late great Dame Zaha Hadid. This building was designed to accommodate both business and retail uses.
Top Features of The Opus
The Opus is a flowing, spatial structure consisting of two towers that come together to create a cube. The unique design of this skyscraper is highlighted by a gap cut right through its conceptual heart. The split in the center gives the impression of a single unit.
The Green Planet; A distinctive building in Dubai
Green Planet at City Walk is just four floors up, so it may not seem as formidable to some of you. But hold on a second there. What really makes this building stand out is not its height but rather its distinctive architecture.
Top Features of The Green Planet
The Green Planet has a unique outer shape, resembling a cylinder within a cube. The structure, located amid the desert, is home to flourishing rainforest ecology. Inside its central glass core, the Green Planet’s origami-inspired cube houses the cutting-edge technology necessary to maintain the Equatorial Rainforest.
The Green Planet is a high-end addition to the City Walk in Dubai. Delivery was completed in 2016, and the attraction opened to the public that same year.
Gevora Hotel building; A jewel in Dubai’s crown
The Gevora Hotel, a new jewel in Dubai’s crown, opened its shimmering doors to visitors in February 2018. It seemed inevitable that this 356-meter-tall, the 75-story structure would become another of Dubai’s most famous landmarks.
Top Features of Gevora Hotel
The Gevora Hotel in Dubai has been the highest in the world since its opening in the first quarter of 2018. It’s easy to see why it took 12 years to finish this magnificent structure, with its glittering Golden exterior and pyramidal cap.
Starting in 2005, construction on the Gevora Hotel continued until its completion in the early months of 2018. Al Turath Engineering Consultants designed this fascinating building.
The Museum of the Future building in Dubai
Another innovative structure, the Museum of the Future, is on its way to adding to Dubai’s glittering skyline. Even before it is finished, the Museum of the Future is being hailed as one of the most cutting-edge structures in the world, making it one of the most talked-about construction projects in the city.
Top Features of the Museum of the Future
The museum’s singular, futuristic building was built using methods used for the aerospace industry. It is safe to say that this torus-shaped, circular structure with a void in its center is one of the most difficult constructions ever undertaken in the Middle East.
The outside has Arabic calligraphy of a poem written by Sheikh Mohammed that expresses his goals for the city. In November of 2018, the primary structure was completed. Killa Designs was responsible for the building’s architectural design, while Buro Happold handled the project’s engineering.
Dubai Frame; A one-of-a-kind building
The Dubai Frame really is a one-of-a-kind building on a global scale. Some of Dubai’s most recognizable landmarks are included in this classic shot.
Top Features of Dubai Frame
From the top of Dubai Frame, you can take in sweeping vistas of both Old and New Dubai. This landmark building acts as a symbolic passageway between Dubai’s illustrious past and bright future. The current holder of the title for the biggest frame in the world is this one.
This enormous structure was built by the Dubai Municipality and designed by Fernando Donis of DONIS Architects so that tourists can look out over the old city and the new from its peak.
Dubai Opera; A memorial building in Dubai
The Dubai Opera is the finest proof that you don’t need to build the world’s tallest building to do something remarkable. This venue never sleeps as the aesthetic center of Dubai’s cultural scene.
Top Features of Dubai Opera
The structure was designed to resemble a Dhow, a kind of watercraft used in the United Arab Emirates. It was built as a memorial to Dubai’s illustrious naval history.
An enormous chandelier spanning three floors hangs within the opera theater, providing enough illumination for the stage and audience. Despite the building’s retro-style front, it’s outfitted with cutting-edge conveniences. Atkins and the famous architect Janus Rostock collaborated on the design of the Dubai Opera, which premiered in 2016.
Marina 101 building in Dubai; The second-tallest skyscraper
It is the second-tallest skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates, behind the Burj Khalifa, and the fourth-tallest residential structure in the world at 425 meters in height.
Construction started in 2007 and was intended to be finished in 2014. then 2017. However, the project came to a halt because the company that was initially developing it, Sheffield Holdings Limited, ran out of money.
WAFI mall complex; A pyramid- resemblance building in Dubai
The centerpiece of WAFI looks like a big pyramid. Hence the design may have been influenced by Egypt. Even more pyramid-shaped structures may be seen scattered around the shopping center. And that’s not all.
Top Features of the WAFI mall complex
There are also columns with hieroglyphic decorations and sculptures of pharaohs and dogs made of sandstone. WAFI has a variety of retail stores, restaurants, a hotel, a spa, and a number of residential buildings.
There is a distinct focus on ancient Egypt, but other regional styles, such as a souk modeled by one in Baghdad in the 14th century, are also evident in the architecture.
Ski Dubai; An Amusing building in Dubai
Even though the climate in Dubai is often quite hot and very flat (except for the sand dunes), the city has its own ski resort, proving that anything is possible with enough money and ingenuity.
Top Features of Ski Dubai
The indoor Ski Dubai facility was built above the busy Mall of the Emirates, allowing skiers and snowboarders to enjoy the slopes after a day of retail therapy. The noticeable tilt on the outside is simply a teaser for the interior.
There are five ski courses with a chairlift and tow and sledding and tobogganing hills on this indoor mountain that stand at a towering 85 meters (279 feet) in height.
FAQs about the most famous buildings in Dubai
It is time to answer some of your questions:
Which Dubai structures are the most well-known?
The Burj Khalifa, the Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, and the Burj Al Arab are just a few of Dubai’s most recognizable landmarks.
Is it worth visiting Dubai?
Dubai is home to more than just world-famous architecture, though; the city also has several acclaimed restaurants and other attractions. Dubai is home to some of the world’s most innovative and stunning architecture and technology.
What’s it like to live in Dubai?
In short, there is no generally correct solution to this question. Dubai is the finest place to enjoy a lavish lifestyle. However, the city is not the best option if the money is tight.
Conclusion on the most famous buildings in Dubai
Our tour of the most famous buildings in Dubai is close here. Check out these apartment complexes in Dubai if you’re seeking permanent residence in the UAE.
With its beautiful structures, Dubai also has distinct residential areas and an architectural showcase. Those who can purchase a house in Dubai may take advantage of the city’s booming real estate market and a desirable standard of living, attracting a steady stream of foreign investors.
Dubai’s real estate market draws many international ex-pats due to the city’s breathtaking skyline. You can trust AlKhail Real State and choose your best house.