Last week Dubai opened the world's largest building to the public with quite a bang. The building, named Burj Khalifa, after the neighboring president of the United Arab Emirates, reaches an astounding 2,717 feet! The building is one of many firsts, with its mix of nightclubs, mosques, luxury suites and boardrooms. It will have the world’s first Armani hotel; the world’s highest swimming pool, on the 76th floor; the highest observation deck, on the 124th floor; and the highest mosque, on the 158th floor.

The building and its elaborate opening celebration is a curious move by Dubai, as they were nearly bankrupt just this past year. The New York Times reports, "The glittering celebration may have been an attempt by Dubai’s ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, to shift the focus from Dubai’s current economic troubles to a future filled with more promise." Regardless, the building is truly beautiful and complemented even more by the pools and fountains surrounding it.