Stunning 360-degree panorama from Burj Khalifa

It's a view not many get to see, except if you're Tom Cruise.

A stunning new panoramic image taken from atop Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building shows a dizzying view of Dubai, made famous when actor Tom Cruise filmed ‘Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol’ in 2010.

The interactive image allows viewers to zoom, pan, tilt and explore Dubai, spotting iconic landmarks such as the Burj Al Arab and Meydan Racecourse.

The incredible photo was released in conjunction with the second Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Photography Award (HIPA), which will take place in Dubai in March.

SEE THE PANORAMA:

The man behind the breathtaking photo is  Dubai-based photographer Gerald Donovan, who stitched the 2.6 gigapixel image together using 70 individual images.

Donovan took a series of 48 panoramic images of 80 megapixels each using a mechanised panoramic tripod head. Using manually shot pictures, he then filled in the gaps.

'I've always wanted to – ever since seeing the first designs of the building,' he told MailOnline.

The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Photography Award (HIPA) will award prizes totalling $389,000 and attracts entrants from 99 countries.

"This is an extraordinary image taken from an extraordinary location. It reflects the goals of HIPA, to extend the boundaries of photography and celebrate images of unusual beauty and quality that are truly outstanding," said, Ali bin Thalith, the General Secretary of the award.

RELATED VIDEO: Zoom into the panorama

RELATED GALLERY: Behind the scenes of the Burj Khalifa panorama

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