Located in Toronto, Canada, the CN tower is the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere.  At the time it was built in 1976, the structure was the world's tallest tower standing at 553.33 meters or 1,815 feet and five inches.  It serves as a communications tower and major attraction for tourists and residents in the Toronto area, welcoming around two million international visitors each year.http://www.cntower.ca/App_UserFiles/Documents/Press%20Kit/Facts%20at%20a%20Glance%202010.pdf 

Visitors to the CN Tower can climb to several upper levels of the tower to take photographs at heights in excess of 1,100 feet, including outdoors.http://www.cntower.ca/plan_your_visit/attractions/look_out/   On one level, visitors can look straight down using the glass floor panels that are built to withstand the weight of 14 hippos.http://www.cntower.ca/plan_your_visit/attractions/glass_floor/   Transportation to the upper levels, including the award-winning 360 Restaurant, is provided by high-speed elevators which travel at 15 miles per hour, making the 1,100-foot trip last under a minute.http://www.cntower.ca/plan_your_visit/attractions/highspeed_elevators/ 

Using a construction budget of $63 million, groundbreaking of the CN Tower started on February 6, 1973.  The tower was completed on February 22, 1974, with the antenna added on April 2, 1975.  Over 1,500 workers took around 40 months of 24-hour-a-day, five-day-a-week work to complete the structure.  An official opening ceremony was held on October 1, 1976.  The glass floor was added in June 1994, followed by the 360 Restaurant, which revolves around the tower every 72 minutes, in 1995.http://www.cntower.ca/App_UserFiles/Documents/Press%20Kit/Facts%20at%20a%20Glance%202010.pdf 

Built by Canadian National Railways, the tower continues its original use of providing television, radio, fixed-mobile and microwave transmissions for all major broadcast, AM, FB and DAB radio stations.http://www.cntower.ca/App_UserFiles/Documents/Press%20Kit/Facts%20at%20a%20Glance%202010.pdf 

The CN Tower is open to visitors every day except Christmas Day, with hours varying by season.  Generally, most levels are open from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.http://www.cntower.ca/plan_your_visit/hours/summer_hours/   Visitors traveling by car can exit Highway 427 to Toronto using the QEW/Gardiner Expressway then exit on Spadina Avenue and turn right to reach Bremner Boulevard.  Parking is available at various locations around the tower for varying prices.http://www.cntower.ca/plan_your_visit/location/how_to_get_here/ 

Tickets for the CN Tower, as well as reservations for the 360 Restaurant, can be made on the official website of the attraction.http://www.cntower.ca/360_Restaurant/Reservations/ http://www.cntower.ca/plan_your_visit/rates/buy_etickets/   Rates for admission to upper floors vary based on the floor, with packages to access the lookout, glass floor, movie and skypod (a level 1,465 feet in the air) starting at C$34.99.http://www.cntower.ca/plan_your_visit/rates/rates/