Frenchman Alain Robert who calls himself „Spiderman”, started a climb up the tallest skyscraper in the world, the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai.

Before embarking on the daring ascent, Robert (48) assessed he would reach the top of the 828 metres high skyscraper in six to seven hours, as reported by Associated Press.

Secured by safety ropes, Robert climbs up the metal and glass facade, but it seems he is not using the ropes. Instead, he is leaning on the decorative beams of the edifice by his hands and feet.

At the foot of the skyscraper a few hundred spectators are gathering, and there is an ambulance parked nearby.

Robert has climbed more than 70 skyscrapers so far, as cited on his web site, among them the Empire State Building in New York, Willis Tower in Chicago, Petronas Tower in Kuala Lumpur and Taipei 101 Tower, which before the Burj was the highest skyscraper in the world.