Defining the Toronto skyline at 553.33m (1,815ft5in), the CN Tower is Canada’s most recognizable and celebrated icon. The CN Tower is an internationally renowned architectural triumph, an engineering Wonder of the Modern World, world-class entertainment and dining destination, and a must-see for anyone visiting Toronto.
When was CN Tower opened?
After 40 months of construction, the CN Tower was opened to the public on June 26, 1976, and it was well on its way to becoming the country’s most celebrated landmark. It is the center of telecommunications for Toronto, serving over 16 Canadian television and FM radio stations, the workplace of over 500 people throughout the year, and an internationally renowned tourism destination.
Why was the CN Tower build?
The 1960s ushered in an unprecedented construction boom in Toronto, transforming a skyline characterized by relatively low buildings into one dotted with skyscrapers. These buildings caused serious communications problems for existing transmission towers, which were not high enough to broadcast over the new buildings. Signals bounced off the buildings creating mediocre television and radio reception for residents. With its microwave receptors at 338 m (1,109 ft.) and the 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches) antenna, the CN Tower swiftly solved the communications problems with room to spare. As a result, people living in the Toronto area now enjoy some of the clearest reception in North America.
When was it build?
The CN Tower was built in 1976 by Canadian National, who wanted to demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry by creating a tower taller than any other in the world. Building the CN Tower was a large and ambitious project that involved 1,537 workers who worked 24 hours a day, five days a week, for 40 months to be complete.
Tower construction crews moved in on February 6, 1973, and started to remove over 56 metric tonnes of earth and shale for the foundation. Once the foundation was ready, work began on the CN Tower’s 335 m (1,100ft.) concrete shaft, a hexagonal core with three curved support arms. It involved pouring concrete into a massive mold or “slip form”. As the real hardened, the slip form, supported by a ring of climbing jacks powered by hydraulic pressure, moved upwards, gradually decreasing in size to produce the CN Tower’s gracefully tapered contour.
Is CN Tower the tallest structure in Canada?
Eight months later, the CN Tower’s concrete shaft was the tallest in Toronto, and by February 1974, it was the tallest in Canada. In August 1974, work began on the seven-story tower sphere that would house the observation decks and revolving restaurant. The CN Tower approached completion in March 1975, when Olga, the giant Sikorsky helicopter, flew into the city to lift the 44 pieces of the antenna into place. The CN Tower was finished on April 2, 1975, and opened to the public on June 26, 1976.
When the 44th and final piece of the CN Tower’s antenna were bolted into place April 2, 1975; the CN Tower joined the ranks of 17 other high structures. They had previously held the title of World’s Tallest Free-Standing Structure, a record the Tower would stay for an incredible 34+ years. Ross McWhirter, the editor of the Guinness Book of World Records, was on hand to record the milestone for history. Since then, the CN Tower has received numerous mentions in the famous book, including, most recently, the World’s Highest Wine Cellar.
In 1995, the CN Tower was classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Canada’s Wonder of the World shares this designation with the Empire State Building, the Chunnel under the English Channel, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Itaipu Dam on the Brazil/Paraguay border, the Panama Canal, and the North Sea Protection Works off the European coast.
What can you see from there and what are the different activities you can enjoy?
-The high-speed elevators with a direct view outside! It takes only 56 seconds to arrive at the top!
-Enjoy the360 Restaurant at the top with an incredible wine cellar. I didn’t have the opportunity to get there. But the reviews are fantastic!
-Go for some shopping or attractions at the base of the Tower (if you like to, I don’t do this kind of things so I can’t write about it)
-A fantastic exterior light you can enjoy by night! They have 1300 LEDs on it, and they are energy efficient! You can see the show every hour at night!
-The Edge Walk is a full circle hands-free walk on a 5 ft / 1.5 m wide ledge encircling the top of the CN Tower. The people who are brave enough or crazy will go there attached to an overhead safety rail via a trolley and harness system. And for the more most insane, you can try to lean back just for fun!!! I didn’t even think about doing it especially when it’s cold outside!!! ( I know this is a lousy excuse, but I want to live to experiment more in life)
–The Glass Floor: you can walk on it and enjoy the view beneath you, you can sit there, or you can lie down. It can be scary, but the glasses are safe!
Why do I recommend spending some time at the CN Tower?
I love the way you can use the elevator and see around you. If you don’t like heights, it is not for you, but for the experience, you should do it as the ride is less than a minute!
The view at the top is incredible in Toronto. It reminds me how much I love all this architecture in towns (and miss so much nature! One day, perhaps an architect will find a way to optimize nature in big cities!)
I loved to walk on the Glass Floor; it is amazing to see the downtown from up there.
Just for fun, go to the CN Tower and enjoy other attractions if you want to!!! I’m sure the Edge Walk must be incredible and the view must be stunning! If you had tried it, let me know. I want to know your feeling about it.
