The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, has been closed to the public a month after opening.

The Persian Gulf city-state had hoped the 2,717-foot (828-meter) Burj Khalifa would be a major tourist draw. Dubai has promoted itself by wowing visitors with over-the-top attractions such as the Burj, which juts like a silvery needle out of the desert and can be seen from miles around.

The only possible outcome of an international race to build the tallest skyscraper is eventual failure when engineers try to push beyond practical limits.