Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline. At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music.
UAE: Dubai – The remarkable Dubai Frame
The Dubai Frame is an observatory, museum, and monument in Zabeel Park, Dubai. It holds the record for the largest frame in the world. The building has a height of 150.24 metres and a width of 95.53 metres.
On our second evening in Dubai, we thought we’d head out to visit another one of Dubai’s tourist attractions that looked interesting, the Dubai Frame.
It was only four stops on the metro to reach the station for the Dubai Frame, and about a 15-minute walk to reach. Our plan had to been to go and look from the outside, and it did not disappoint. From a distance, it had looked impressive but up close, it was truly spectacular. Not only was it huge, but the decorations on the outside were amazing. More than 15,000 square metres of gold-coloured stainless steel covers Dubai Frame, which incorporates a ring design inspired by the Expo 2020 Dubai logo.
Not surprisingly the Dubai Frame is the largest frame in the world, measuring 150 metres high and 95 metres wide. Over 9,900 cubic metres of reinforced concrete, 2,000 tons of steel and 2,900 square metres of laminated glass were used in its construction.
Dubai Frame’s rectangular design was inspired by the ‘golden ratio’ of 1.618, which many architects and artists believe forms an ideal structural balance.
Having got here we decided we wanted to ride to the top of the Dubai Frame and see what the view looked like from there.
The queues were not too bad and after paying we followed the route to the elevators, which took us by some surreal displays which we didn’t quite get the meaning of. We were soon in the elevator soaring towards the Sky Deck, 48 floors above, which took a mere 75 seconds.
Once up on the Sky Deck, we could walk across the top of Frame, which was an interesting experience. Many years ago, we visited the stainless-steel-clad Gateway Arch in St Louis, Missouri, which at 192m is taller. You can also walk across the top of the arch, and in my head, an arch feels a stronger, self-supporting shape than a rectangle.
As we had hoped the views from the Dubai Frame are amazing. The walls of the Sky deck are completely made of glass. It was dark, so the lights of the city were dazzling and there was a clear view of the Burj Khalifa which stands out clearly above the rest.
There are a few areas where the floor had been replaced with glass panels, which you can stand on and look straight down 150m to the ground below. A very weird feeling!
There is not a lot to do up on the sky deck. They have put in a few things to entertain visitors, but these were gimmicky and more for the younger visitors. So, after taking our photos we headed back down to terra firma and walked back to the metro station to catch a ride back to the hotel.
Planning your visit to the Dubai Frame
Dubai Frame is located at Zabeel Park Gate 4 in Dubai. It’s bordered by Sheikh Rashid Road to the north, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road to the northwest and Sheikh Zayed Road to the south. You can reach Zabeel Park through Al Jafiliya Metro Station.
| Website: | https://www.dubaiframe.ae/ |
| Hours: | Dubai Frame is open all year round, including weekends and public holidays. Visit timing may vary during the holy month of Ramadan, holidays and public holidays. Opening hours from 9:00 am till 09:00 pm. |
| Fees: |
|
Best time to visit Dubai
Dubai, being situated in the Northern Desert belt, is characterised by a hot desert climate, described as BWh in the Köppen climate classification. Situated on the Arabian Gulf in the Middle East’s United Arab Emirates, Dubai experiences high temperatures with minimal precipitation throughout the year. Due to this positioning, the city is inherently dry and warm, fluctuating between warm winters and scorching summers.
In terms of temperature variations, the city experiences an average low of 18.8°C in January and a peak of 39.4°C in July. However, it is not rare to encounter higher temperatures, especially during the peak summer months. The warm temperature is consistent throughout the year, although November to March sees a slight drop, creating cool, pleasant winters.
Rainfall in Dubai is minimal and occurs sporadically, with an annual average range from 0mm during summertime to 10mm in March. Interestingly, the city experiences almost no rainfall from May to September. With regard to humidity, the average percentage throughout the year is above 47%, peaking in January and closely followed by November and December.
Where to stay
MID-RANGE: ROVE CITY CENTRE
Offering a year-round outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre, Rove City Centre, Deira is located just a 7 minutes drive from Dubai International Airport and 20 minutes by car from Dubai Mall. Guests can enjoy the on-site all-day dining restaurant, The Daily. Free WiFi is available throughout the property. The property offers a self-service laundromat. Each spacious room at this 270-room hotel is air-conditioned and features a flat-screen TV. Interconnecting rooms are available upon request. You will find coffee-making facilities in the room. Extras include a hairdryer. All rooms have a private bathroom equipped with a rain shower.
BUDGET: AL KARNAK HOTEL
Featuring 1-star accommodation, AL KARNAK HOTEL – BRANCH is located in Dubai, 5.5 km from Grand Mosque and 8.7 km from Dubai World Trade Centre. This 1-star hotel offers room service, a 24-hour front desk and free WiFi. The accommodation provides an ATM, and currency exchange for guests.
Complete with a private bathroom equipped with a shower and free toiletries, all units at the hotel have a flat-screen TV and air conditioning, and some rooms will provide you with a balcony.
LUXURY: OSTAY – DUBAI MALL
Located in Dubai, 700 metres from The Dubai Fountain and 400 metres from the centre, OSTAY – Address Dubai Mall -The residence provides air-conditioned accommodation with free WiFi and a rooftop pool. The accommodation features a sauna.
Featuring a kitchen with a dishwasher and an oven, each unit also comes with a safety deposit box, a satellite flat-screen TV, ironing facilities, a desk and a seating area with a sofa. There is a private bathroom with a hot tub in every unit, along with slippers, a hairdryer and free toiletries.
A continental, Italian or American breakfast is available daily at the property. At the aparthotel, you will find a restaurant serving African, American and Argentinian cuisine.
More to Explore
