On top of the world: French daredevil dubbed 'Spiderman' climbs 2,717ft in six hours to scale world's tallest tower in Dubai



Climb will 'inspire people to break the mould and not limit themselves' says 48-year-old Frenchman

He could have just taken the lift to the top – and no one would have noticed.

Instead, Alain Robert scaled the world’s tallest building lit up by spotlights...as a large crowd looked on.

It probably took a little longer than the elevator. But after six hours, 14 minutes and 55 seconds, the Frenchman reached his goal, half a mile above the United Arab Emirates.

Scroll down to see a video of Spiderman climbing the world's tallest building



How high? Spiderman climbed the 2,717ft building, and - as per the organisers' instructions - had a rope to assist him



‘It was a very big moment in my life,’ said Mr Robert, 48, whose penchant for climbing skyscrapers has earned him the nickname Spiderman. But although he made his very public ascent up the 2,717ft Burj Khalifa tower look easy, it was almost brought to an untimely halt, he revealed. He had climbed up a central column to just 45ft from the top when he was hit by crippling thigh cramps. Only determination saw him through. ‘I knew that it was nearly done, so there was no way to stop,’ he explained. On top of the world: Frenchman Alain Robert took about six hours to reach the top of the Buri Khalifa in Dubai, and reached the top of the tallest building in the world just after midnight King of the castle: The 48-year-old Frenchman poses, right, at the summit of his impressive six-hour climb up Burj Kalifa tower, left

As a crowd watched from below, he inched up the 160-floor building. Finally, Mr Robert reached the top of the antenna just after midnight. The climber, who is often arrested after his stunts, even deigned to use a safety harness this time – not part of his usual climbing attire. ‘It was a requirement from the government,’ he said. ‘I would have loved to do it differently, but I knew it was not possible.’ And he easily broke the nine-hour record for the fastest Burj climb. ‘I initially thought it would take between six to nine hours. It took me by surprise that I could make it quite fast.’ After such a feat, it was only a shock he took the lift down... SPIDERMAN'S OTHER CLIMBS...

The 48-year-old from Digoin, Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne, has now scaled all of the world's tallest buildings.

In 2004 he climbed up Taipei 101 in Taipei, which measures 1,667ft, on the day it opened.

He had three tries at the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The first and second attempts, in 1997 and 2007 respectively, he was arrested on the 60th floor. In 2009 he managed to slip the guards and scaled the 1,483ft building.

In 1999 Robert managed to reach the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago, which measures 1,453ft.

AND THE FALLS ...

In a 2005 interview Robert said that he has fallen seven times in his life.

His worst fall came in September 1982 agaed 20, when he fell 15 metres (49ft) after his rope came undone while abseiling.

He was in a coma for five days and fractured both forearms, his elbow, pelvis and nose.

His elbow was also dislocated and a nerve was damaged, leaving him partially paralysed.

He also suffered cerebral edema, vertigo and had six operations on his hands and elbow. On the up: As night fell, a row of powerful spotlights shone on the side of the tower to light the way

In the swing of things: Robert takes a breather and takes in the wonderful skyline of Dubai

Daredevil: Unlike his many previous climbs, the 48-year-old used a rope and harness to comply with organizers' requirements in the Gulf sheikdom

