The CN Tower Opens

Setting the scene

Toronto's downtown in the 1960s needed a broadcast mast tall enough to clear microwave interference from skyscrapers; Canadian National Railway backed a concrete communications tower designed by John Andrews, Webb Zerafa, Menkes, Housden, with engineer R.R. Nicolet planning a slender spire above the railway lands.

What happened

The CN Tower opened to the public on June 26, 1976, offering observation decks and a revolving restaurant atop what was then the world's tallest freestanding structure at 553.3 meters.

Why it still matters

It held the tallest freestanding structure record for decades, drawing millions of visitors and anchoring Toronto's skyline identity; glass-floor panels and EdgeWalk experiences later turned the tower into a year-round tourism engine.

Background

It held the tallest freestanding structure record for decades.