CN Tower
The CN Tower is one of the most popular touristic attractions of Toronto. With its height of more than half a kilometer, 553.33 metre to be precise, it is the tallest building and free standing structure on our planet. The CN Tower is not new, it was built in 1976.
Evidently, a building like this is a status symbol supposed to demonstrate the grandeur or even the megalomania of the city of Toronto. In that sense, it can be compared to a building like the Royal Palace in Brussels, Belgium or the belfry in Brugge, Belgium. However, it is more than just a prestige project.
It is also a communication tower for the reception and transmission of television and radio signals. Thanks to the CN Tower, the people in Toronto enjoy just about the best television distribution network in the world. We can receive more than 140 (one hundred and forty) television channels coming from all over the world. Reception quality is great. For example, I receive TV Japan (a channel from the Japanese government television network NHK) with exactly the same quality as a City TV, Toronto's local city station.
The Tower can be visited and if you are here for more than just a few days, it is a must. The tower counts several observation decks where you can walk all around it.
The lowest deck is located at a height of 342 metre. Weather permitting, walking outside is permitted. If you think to try a nice jump, forget it, that's not possible. This level also boasts a glass floor to walk on. An interesting experience. Take the stairs to the next level.
There, at a height of 346 metre, you can have a drink and a light meal in Horizons Café. It speaks for itself that the view is quite impressive. On this floor, you can walk around the tower without being blown away by the wind.
There is a restaurant just above the Horizons Café, located at a height of 351 metre. It has a rotating floor that makes one full rotation in 72 minutes. A must! Imagine having a nice meal and a drink while Toronto and its surrounding slowly slide along below you. On clear days, one can see Niagara Falls and even the American city Buffalo in the State of New York.
The highest observation deck of the tower is located at a height of no less than 447 metre. That's high!
There is also a large store at the foot of the tower where one can buy souvenirs and nicknacks such as miniature CN Towers, T-shirts, plush moose and bears, maple syrup, Indian mocassins and miniature kayaks and Inuit sculptures for tourists. This is not exactly the place to buy genuine Indian or Inuit art.
This level aso boasts a number of attractions such as a miniature golf, flight simulators and more.
The CN Tower has had different mentions in the well known trivia book, The Guiness Book of Records. For example: the longest metal staircase in the world, the highest wine cellar in the world (the restaurant has a wine cellar of about 500 different wines). In 1996, the mention has officially been changed in the world's tallest building and free standing structure.
In 1995, the American Society of Cicil Engineers has a established a list with the seven wonders of the modern world:
- Itaipu dam on the border between Brasil and Paraguay
- Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco
- Panama canal
- Chunnel under the channel
- Deltaplan in The Netherlands
- Empire State Building
- CN Tower
This type of lists is rather trivial but that doesn't invalidate the fact that the CN Tower is a spectacular building worth visiting and one of the highlights of any visit to this fantastic city.
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Last updated on April 15th, 2002
© Bart B. Van Bockstaele 1996-2002 - All rights reserved
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