Burj Al Arab, Dubai

Dubai is another one of those places where I only have a few postcards from. ...and this is even older than the India postcard - I received this one in 2008!



Burj Al Arab is a 5-star (often misleadingly referred to as 7-star) luxury hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At 321 m, it is the fourth tallest hotel in the world. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge.

Burj Al Arab was designed by British architect Tom Wright of WS Atkins PLC. The design and construction were managed by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory also of WS Atkins. Construction of the Island began in 1994. It was built to resemble the sail of a dhow, a type of Arabian vessel. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. The building opened in December 1999.