CN Tower
The CN Tower (French: Tour CN) is a 553.3 m-high (1,815.3 ft) concrete communications and observation tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Completed in 1976, it is located in downtown Toronto, built on the former Railway Lands. Its name "CN" referred to Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower. Following the railway's decision to divest non-core freight railway assets prior to the company's privatization in 1995, it transferred the tower to the Canada Lands Company, a federal Crown corporation responsible for the government's real estate portfolio.
| CN Tower | |
|---|---|
Tour CN | |
The CN Tower as seen from the Toronto City Centre Airport in September 2008, it is currently the world's 10th tallest free-standing structure | |
| Alternative names | Canadian National Tower, Canada's National Tower |
| Record height | |
| Tallest in the world from 1975 to 2007[I] | |
| Preceded by | Ostankino Tower |
| Surpassed by | Burj Khalifa |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Mixed use: Observation, telecommunications, attraction, restaurant |
| Address | 290 Bremner Boulevard Toronto, Ontario M5V 3L9 |
| Coordinates | 43°38′33.36″N 79°23′13.56″W |
| Construction started | 6 February 1973 |
| Topped-out | 2 April 1975 |
| Completed | 1976 |
| Opening | 26 June 1976 |
| Cost | CA$63,000,000 |
| Owner | Canada Lands Company |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 553.3 m (1,815 ft) |
| Antenna spire | 96.1 m (315 ft) |
| Roof | 457.2 m (1,500 ft) |
| Top floor | 446.5 m (1,464.9 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 8 (7 in the main pod, 1 in the sky pod) |
| Lifts/elevators | 9 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | WZMH Architects: John Andrews, Webb Zerafa, Menkes Housden |
| Website | |
| www | |
| References | |
The CN Tower held the record for the world's tallest free-standing structure for 32 years, from 1975 until 2007, when it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa, and was the world's tallest tower until 2009 when it was surpassed by the Canton Tower. It is currently the tenth-tallest free-standing structure in the world and remains the tallest free-standing structure on land in the Western Hemisphere. In 1995, the CN Tower was declared one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It also belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers.
It is a signature icon of Toronto's skyline and attracts more than two million international visitors annually. It houses several observation decks, a revolving restaurant at some 350 metres (1,150 ft), and an entertainment complex.