Burj Khalifa most instagrammed building in Dubai, survey shows

DUBAI // As the world’s highest building, it is no surprise the Burj Khalifa tops a list of the most instagrammed buildings in Dubai – but the other nine making up the top 10 makes interesting reading.

With more than 1.5 million posts on the social media app, the Burj Khalifa is 22 times more popular as a photo opportunity than the iconic Burj Al Arab (70,400) in second place on the list compiled by the Arabian Construction Company.

Data was collected through hashtags linked to photos posted online, with the 306-metre Cayan Tower holding third place with 12,817 posts.

“Arabian Construction Company are proud to have constructed some of the most iconic buildings in the UAE and we’re very happy to see that the residents of Dubai are enjoying the unique architecture of their city and sharing it with the world,” said Kay Marsh, communications manager for ACC, which built Princess Tower, Almas Tower and Elite Residence.

Cayan Tower hit the headlines in February when Russian Instagram model Viktoria Odintcova was arrested and warned by Dubai Police for taking “extreme selfies” while hanging precariously from a ledge high up. The photos were liked more than a million times online.

Nearby Princess Tower, the highest residential building in the world, is fourth on the Instagram list, attracting 6,503 hashtags.

Other buildings on the list have been broken into and snapped from rooftops this year by daredevils from the UK visiting Dubai to take dramatic vistas of the city skyline to boost online followers.

Briton James Kingston was arrested this year and warned by Dubai CID, and teenage daredevil Harry Gallagher, who goes by the name Nightscape, also escaped without charge.

The 68-story Almas Tower in Jumeirah Lakes Towers was fifth (2,769) on the list, while Ocean Heights in Dubai Marina ranked sixth (1,168).

Rolex Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road was snapped 966 times, and the marina’s Elite Residence was posted online with a hashtag 803 times.

Making up the top 10 were Vision Tower in Business Bay, with 642 posts in ninth, and 10th spot was taken by Sulafa Tower, with 594 tags, also in Dubai Marina.

More than 14 million tourists visited Dubai in 2015 and it aims to attract 20 million annually by 2020.

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