Toronto’s CN Tower

Toronto’s CN Tower

Image by Geff Rossi
(From Wikipedia): The CN Tower, at 553.3 metres (1,815 ft 5 in) tall, is the world’s tallest freestanding structure on land. It is located in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is considered the signature icon of the city; more than two million international visitors are attracted annually to the tower. Guinness World Records has listed the CN Tower as the world’s tallest "building" for 31 years. CN originally referred to the Canadian National Railway, but following the railway’s decision to divest non-core freight railway assets, prior to the company’s privatization in 1995, the CN Tower was transferred to the Canada Lands Company (CLC), a federal Crown corporation responsible for real estate development. Since the citizens of Toronto wished to retain the name CN Tower, the abbreviation CN now officially could stand for either the Communication Networks Tower or Canada’s National Tower rather than the original Canadian National. The CN Tower consists of several substructures. The main portion of the Tower consists of a hollow concrete pillar containing the elevators, stairwells and power and plumbing connections. On top is the 102 metre (335 ft) metal broadcast antenna, carrying TV and radio signals. There are two main visitor areas, the main seven-story pod located at the 330 metre (1,100 ft) level, and the SkyPod at 447 metres (1,465 ft), just below the antenna. Microwave antennas ring the lower portion of the main pod, protected in a large white donut-shaped radome. The Sky Pod, situated high above the main observation floor, is the highest public observation deck in the world. From its top, it is possible on a clear day to see approximately 100 to 120 kilometres (60â