The under-construction Jeddah Tower (left) and the Burj Khalifa (right).
Fourteen years ago, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai became the world's tallest building, reaching a height of 828 meters. It set many records and became famous. Construction on the Burj started in 2004, and it officially opened in 2010. The building was planned to be the main attraction in a large, diverse development in the center of Dubai. This was part of a strategy to shift from relying on oil to building an economy focused on business, tourism, and luxury. However, there are now talks of a new building that might surpass it, making people wonder if the Burj Khalifa will no longer be the tallest.
According to Guinness World Records, a building currently under construction in Saudi Arabia is expected to be even taller than the Burj Khalifa once it's complete. Jeddah Tower, also called Kingdom Tower, is reportedly going to be over 1,000 m (1 km; 3,281 ft) tall. The Jeddah Economic Company building will be a mixture of luxury housing, office space, serviced apartments, and luxury condominiums.
And it's said it'll also be home to the "world's highest observatory," although the only record like this that we monitor at the moment is the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory, which is located at an altitude of 5,640 m (18,503 ft), as per GWR.
According to GWR, Jeddah Tower, slated for a $1.23 billion price tag, could steal the crown from Burj Khalifa. This north Jeddah centerpiece, part of a $20 billion mega-project, resumed construction in 2023 after a five-year pause. While completion remains shrouded in mystery, its proposed size and amenities threaten Burj Khalifa's record reign.
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