CN Tower

The CN Tower, located in Toronto, Ontario, is one of Canada's most recognizable landmarks. Standing at an impressive height of 553.3 meters (1,815 feet), it was the tallest free-standing structure in the world upon its completion in 1976 and held this record for over 30 years . Today, it remains the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere.​

These two photos were taken from right at the base of the CN Tower. I had always heard that the CN Tower was incredibly tall, but seeing it with my own eyes was something completely different. It's true — hearing about it many times doesn't compare to actually standing underneath it. When I looked up from the bottom, I felt just how tiny I was compared to this massive structure reaching into the sky. At night, the CN Tower lights up beautifully, adding even more to its impressive presence. The two bright strips you see running up the middle of the tower are actually the glass elevators. As they move up and down, you can see tiny figures of people inside, climbing toward the top for a breathtaking view of the city.

Construction of the CN Tower began on February 6, 1973, and was completed on April 2, 1975 . It was officially opened to the public on June 26, 1976. The tower was built by the Canadian National Railway Company, which is where the "CN" in its name originates . The primary purpose of the tower was to serve as a communications and observation tower, addressing the need for a large television and radio communication platform to serve the Toronto area.