Timeframe: When Dubai Mall opened its doors 15 years ago

Covering an area equating to 200 football fields, the shopping colossus has become the new global benchmark for retail

Dubai Mall shortly after it opened in 2008. AFP

The fountain with sculpture divers at Dubai Mall is a popular site in the shopping centre. AFP

The new Chinatown section of the mall. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The section is filled with artworks and designs alluding to Asian cultures. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Chinatown is one of the most recent additions to Dubai Mall. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Chinatown is one of many Instagram favourites at Dubai Mall. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The virtual reality park at Dubai Mall. AFP

Apple employees cheer as the doors of the Dubai Mall Apple Store open in September 2017 for customers to buy the new iPhone 8. AFP

A passageway covered with umbrellas. AFP

The mall houses an original skeleton of a dinosaur, which scientists named Amphicoelias. The 155-million-year-old dinosaur was discovered in 2008 in the Dana Quarry in Wyoming, USA. Reuters

The mall often stages art exhibitions, including once by American artist Andy Warhol, which was held in 2010. AFP

A worker puts in a final few finishing touched at the new Dubai Mall shopping centre, hours before its official opening on November 4, 2008. AFP

Sharks swim past divers and visitors in Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. AFP

Dubai Mall welcomes about 100 million visitors a year. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The exterior of Dubai Mall. Chris Whiteoak / The National

After 15 years, the mall has retained its title as the world's largest mall based on total area. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A worker at a construction site near Dubai Mall in October 2008, days before the shopping centre's official opening. Reuters

When Dubai Mall first opened in 2008, the emirate was already home to dozens of shopping centres.

But the new mall’s total area, equating to about 200 football fields, would make it the new global benchmark, becoming Dubai’s calling card as a retail destination. Fifteen years on, Dubai Mall has managed to retain its title as the largest shopping mall in the world based on its total land area. It is not the largest when considering gross leasable space.

The mall was developed by Emaar Properties. The opening of the mall was twice delayed. It was originally scheduled for an August 2008 opening before being pushed back two months to complete infrastructure facilities. It was then delayed again from its October 30 opening before officially launching on November 4.

Right from the outset, the mall wanted to open its doors with a bang. Dubai Mall opened with about 1,000 shops. It was the second-largest mall opening in history, behind Canada’s West Edmonton Mall. Until earlier this year, the mall was officially known as The Dubai Mall, before dropping the definite article to become, simply, Dubai Mall.

Today, the mall features more than 1,200 shops, including department stores such as Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale’s. Most of the world’s most coveted luxury brands, including Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin, Versace and Louis Vuitton have addresses at the mall. It also has 200 dining locations, offering everything from fast-food nibbles to haute cuisine.

The mall’s adjoining Souq Al Bahar is an indoor souq with numerous restaurants and shops; in 2021 popular food hall Time Out Market opened in the souq.

Every year, Dubai Mall hosts an impressive 100 million people, often topping the lists of the world’s most visited retail and lifestyle destinations.

Another point of pride is its suspended aquarium. The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo features more than 300 species of marine life, including sharks, otters and spider crabs. Sand tiger sharks, giant groupers and rays are housed in its 10-million-litre tank, and diving experiences offer visitors the chance to get up close and personal with them.

Among Dubai Mall’s most recent additions is Chinatown. Located opposite Dubai Ice Rink, the area is decorated with Chinese lanterns and traditional art. Among the offerings in the newly opened area are dining experiences, wellness centres, technology shops and art stalls.

More information available at thedubaimall.com