A Towering Achievement

The CN Tower turns 50 this week, and while the 533-metre landmark no longer holds the title of the world’s tallest freestanding structure, the star of the Toronto skyline still looms large in Canadian hearts. Conceived by the Canadian National Railway Company, it was originally erected in 1976 as a telecommunications and broadcasting hub to remedy interference from the city’s skyscrapers, while also showcasing Canuck innovation. Meanwhile, its emergence as a longstanding tourist trap has been well earned over the years – from the addition of 360, its panoramic rotating restaurant, to the immersive Tour of the Universe spaceship experience of the late ’80s, conceived by Zoomer founder and CEO Moses Znaimer, to today’s adrenaline-inducing EdgeWalk. The tower also continues to inspire pop culture moments. Drake, for instance, photoshopped himself sitting on its edge for his 2016 Views album cover and returned to his muse again this past May, projecting a 3D light show onto its exterior to announce his surprise triple album. Want to mark the occasion? Look for the glow-in-the-dark Toonie commemorating the milestone, stream the documentary The Tower That Built a City, or, when you’re next in the 6ix, snap a selfie with Canada’s most recognizable landmark.  |  Getty Images