'French Spider-Man' Alain Robert Scales World's Tallest Tower

Climbing up the outside of the world's tallest tower is a tall order for most people, but not for Alain Robert, the man known as the "French Spider-Man."

Since 1994, when he climbed the Empire State Building, Robert has climbed more than 70 skyscrapers and major landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and both of the 1,483-foot Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

But he really topped himself on Monday when he climbed the 2,717-foot-tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is currently the tallest building in the world.

As part of the feat, which took nearly seven hours, Robert even navigated the tapered spire that extends beyond the top floors of the structure.

However, Sky News reports that unlike his previous climbs, Robert utilized a rope and harness, which was a condition in order to get permission from the powers-that-be with the Emirates' Higher Colleges of Technology, the organizers of the climb.

Before the climb, which began at dawn, Robert prepared by loading up on pasta and by doing push-ups, pull-ups and stretches -- which weren't easy considering that he is unable to completely straighten his fingers because of the many hours he's spent cramming his fingers into the cracks of ledges and hanging from balconies.

Robert's climb was designed to inspire over 2,000 students who were in Dubai for a three-day conference, according to Gulf News.

"I'm doing this to show the students there is no edge or borders and to inspire people to break the mold and not limit themselves," Robert said. "Part of my message is not only to follow your heart but try to innovate in all things you do."

It's been a tough climb for Robert, 48, who first started climbing walls when he was 12 and was locked out of his parents' eighth-floor apartment but somehow managed to climb up the exterior wall to his home.

When he was 20, he suffered multiple fractures and walked away with permanent vertigo -- not a good thing when your job is climbing up vertical towers. Nevertheless, he has reached heights rarely seen by others.

Some of his more memorable climbs include his August 2010, climb up the 57-story Lumiere building in Sydney, Australia, which took him only 20 minutes and resulted in his arrest.

Robert wore a Spider-Man costume when he climbed 614 feet up the headquarters of the French oil company Total in October 2004.
When Robert climbed 568 feet up the National Bank of Abu Dhabi in February 2003, 100,000 spectators watched him in action.
In June 2008, Robert trudged up the side of the 748-foot-tall New York Times building in order to unfurl a banner protesting global warming.
When Robert climbed up the 1,378-foot-tall Jim Mao building in Shanghai, China, in May 2007, officials were so upset that they kicked him out of the country.
Robert climbed up both of the twin Petronas Towers on the same day in March 2007 and, each time, was arrested on the 60th floor.
He finally made it to the top in September 2009 and was fined $659.73 U.S. for his effort.