CN Tower is the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere. It stands in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The tapered, needle-shaped concrete and steel structure dominates the Toronto skyline and has become one of the most familiar landmarks in Canada. The tower stands 1,815 feet 5 inches (553.33 meters) high.
The CN Tower was built by the Canadian National Railway Company and opened in 1976. The designers were the Toronto firms of John Andrews Architects and Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Partnership (now WZMH Architects). The tower was the world’s tallest structure until the completion of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2010. In 1995, operation of the tower was transferred from Canadian National to the Canada Lands Company, a federal government corporation.
The CN Tower is a major communications center serving more than 15 radio and television stations. The tower also provides state-of-the-art technology for wireless service providers.
The tower is one of Canada’s leading tourist destinations, visited by more than 2 million people annually. Attractions include a revolving restaurant near the top of the tower, a small motion picture theater, and a gift shop. The tower also offers the EdgeWalk. Visitors can attach a harness and take a hands-free walk along a 5-foot- (1.5-meter-) wide ledge encircling the top of the structure’s main pod at a height of 1,168 feet (356 meters). In addition, the tower provides facilities for corporate or business meetings, private gatherings, and other special events.
