Elevate, Celebrate: A Brief History of the CN Tower
- Mar 31, 2026
- History
- 4 minute read
The standout of the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is one of the most recognized and popular Canadian symbols. From appearing on album covers and in family photos to helping guide the way on busy Toronto streets, the Tower has captured the hearts and minds of Canadians and visitors alike during the past 50 years.
A marvel of engineering and architecture, keep reading to discover the milestones that have helped shape Canada’s tallest structure from its initial inspiration to its towering status today.
The standout of the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is one of the most recognized and popular Canadian symbols. From appearing on album covers and in family photos to helping guide the way on busy Toronto streets, the Tower has captured the hearts and minds of Canadians and visitors alike during the past 50 years.
A marvel of engineering and architecture, keep reading to discover the milestones that have helped shape Canada’s tallest structure from its initial inspiration to its towering status today.
History Takes Shape: Building a Canadian Icon
1960s – As buildings in Toronto grow taller, they exceed the height of broadcasting transmission towers—blocking radio and television signals from reaching smaller buildings. The solution? A new broadcasting and telecommunications tower, built by the Canadian National Railway Company (CN), that would rise high above the skyline as well as future buildings.
1968 – The first concept for the new telecommunications tower is unveiled. Although the final design will change from the original, the vision remains the same: to create the tallest freestanding structure in Canada—and the world.
1973 – Construction begins February 6 on the railway lands. After removing 56,000 metric tonnes of ground for the foundation, a hydraulic-powered slipform is used for the concrete pour. The Tower steadily takes on its tapered shape—a hexagonal core with three support arms.
1974– It takes 1,500 workers (rotating through 24-hour shifts, five days a week) to complete the 450 m-tall concrete form. By February, the CN Tower becomes the tallest structure in Canada. In August, its seven-storey pod is constructed.
1975 – In March, the Tower’s 39-piece antenna is put into place with the help of a helicopter. On April 2, after 40 months of construction, the CN Tower is completed. At 553.33 m in height, it becomes the world’s tallest freestanding structure and retains this title for over 30 years.
1976 – The CN Tower officially opens to the public at midnight on June 26, alongside the Tower’s iconic revolving restaurant. The Tower’s official opening is celebrated on October 1.
1979 – Sparkles, “the highest nightclub in the world,” opens. Located on the Tower’s Main Observation Level and open seven days a week, the discotheque attracts locals and celebrities alike for the views, music, and signature cocktail called “Heavens Above.”
1986 – The first of its kind, the Tour of the Universe space shuttle simulator ride opens in the basement of the CN Tower, taking its audience on an intergalactic tour to Jupiter.
1994 – The Tower’s famous glass floor installation opens to the public. Located on the Main Observation Level, visitors can stand atop the city and look straight down from a height of 342 m.
1995 - CN sells the Tower to Canada Lands Company, which continues to own and operate the Tower today. The official name of the Tower changes from “Canadian National Tower” to “Canada’s National Tower.”
1996 – In addition to the Tower’s original four glass elevators, two more are installed to better accommodate the Tower’s many visitors. Today, nearly 2 million people visit the CN Tower annually.
2007– Energy-efficient LED lighting is installed on the exterior of the Tower. The new illumination system can produce up to 16.7 million different colours, and the Tower lights up in different colour combinations daily to commemorate special events and causes.
2008 – Following in the footsteps of the famous glass floor in the Main Observation Level, a glass floor is installed in one of the Tower’s glass elevators, becoming a first for North America.
2011 – EdgeWalk is introduced! This thrilling experience lets visitors walk around the full exterior of the Tower’s main pod on a 1.5 m-wide ledge at almost any time of year.
2017 – Floor-to-ceiling window walls are installed in the Main Observation Level, providing greater visibility and better access for all visitors.
2018 – As part of a major renovation to the Main Observation Level, a new glass floor is installed. Situated a floor above the original, now you can look 346 m down at the city below.
2026 – Renovations to the Lower Observation Level are completed in time for the Tower’s 50th anniversary, offering new experiences and attractions such as OverView, where visitors can “lean over” the edge of the Tower, and an immersive art space called Artmosphere.
Today, the CN Tower remains a Canadian icon, major tourist attraction, telecommunications hub, restaurant, and more. Celebrate 50 years of the CN Tower as it continues to reach new milestones with our newest commemorative $2 circulation coin.
Designs, official marks, and images of the CN Tower are trademarks of Canada Lands Company Limited, used under license.