CN Tower: Toronto’s concrete shaft and sky-high pod

CN Tower rises above Toronto as a tall concrete shaft crowned by a broad observation pod and a slender antenna. Finished in 1975 and opened to the public in 1976, it remains both a telecommunications structure and a destination above the city.

CN Tower’s concrete shaft and upper pod

The tower reaches 553 metres (1,815 ft) from its base to the tip of the antenna. Its main shaft is made from reinforced concrete and narrows as it rises, ending beneath the seven-storey pod that contains observation spaces and restaurants.

Three curved support arms extend around the shaft below the pod. The upper structure includes the Main Observation Level, a revolving restaurant and further viewing areas. The building’s form is easy to recognise from Toronto’s streets, the waterfront and Lake Ontario.

John Andrews and the 1970s construction

Canadian National Railway built CN Tower during Toronto’s construction boom. Work began in February 1973, with John Andrews among the designers and Webb Zerafa, Menkes Housden and E.R. Baldwin also associated with the design team.

The concrete shaft was produced with a climbing slipform, a large mould that moved upwards as concrete hardened. The tower was finished on 2 April 1975, after which the antenna completed its full height. A large helicopter lifted the antenna sections into place during the final stage of construction.

From broadcasting tower to public landmark

CN Tower was built as a broadcast and telecommunications tower. Its height placed transmitters above Toronto’s growing collection of tall buildings, while its public observation areas gave the structure a second role.

The tower opened to the public on 26 June 1976. Its former height record belongs to the history of the building: CN Tower was the world’s tallest freestanding structure until 2007. In 1995, ownership passed from Canadian National to Canada Lands Company.

The communications role remains visible in the antenna and technical equipment above the visitor areas. Below them, the observation decks and revolving restaurant occupy the pod, creating a vertical sequence of engineering, broadcasting and public space.

Visiting CN Tower: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• CN Tower stands at 301 Front Street West in downtown Toronto, close to Union Station, the Rogers Centre and the waterfront.
• The building is reached through Toronto’s downtown transport network. Union Station provides rail, subway and streetcar connections near the tower.
• The visit involves lifts and elevated observation spaces. The tower’s upper levels are enclosed, while the Outdoor SkyTerrace is exposed above the city.
• The official language is English and French, and the currency is the Canadian dollar.

Searching for CN Tower on social platforms

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Frequently asked questions about CN Tower

Where is CN Tower?

CN Tower is at 301 Front Street West in downtown Toronto, Ontario, beside the city’s major sports and transport district.

What can visitors expect inside?

The public areas include observation decks, a revolving restaurant and an outdoor viewing terrace within the tower’s upper pod.

What makes CN Tower distinctive?

Its distinctive combination is a 553-metre concrete shaft, a broad observation pod and a telecommunications antenna above Toronto.