Calgary Tower

The tallest building in Calgary when it opened was a concrete needle topped by a saucer, and it has been Calgary’s most recognisable landmark ever since. The Calgary Tower rises 191 metres, or 626 feet, from the middle of downtown and was built in 1967 and 1968 to celebrate Canada’s centennial, originally under the name of its sponsoring company. A gas flame at the very top, lit for important events, recalls the Olympic flame of the 1988 Winter Games, which Calgary hosted. For decades the tower dominated the skyline, and though taller office buildings now surround it, it remains the place to start getting oriented.

The observation deck lies about 160 metres above the street, and a high-speed elevator reaches it in under a minute. The view runs for hundreds of kilometres on a clear day. To the west the line of the Rocky Mountains, the Canadian Rockies, stands along the horizon, with snow on the peaks most of the year, while to the east the prairie spreads out flat and gold. Below, the Bow River loops through the city, and the green of Prince's Island Park and the white curve of the Peace Bridge stand out. Parts of the deck have a glass floor, which gives a startling view straight down to the street.

Inside the tower, the Sky 360 Restaurant, a revolving dining room, turns slowly so that diners see the whole panorama in the course of a meal, and the lounge offers drinks with a view. A small theatre shows films about the tower's construction and Alberta's landscape, and exhibits tell the story of the building. At night, coloured lights change the tower's glow for holidays, sports events and causes, so the building has become a kind of civic signal.

Getting there is easy, since the tower stands on 9th Avenue Southwest near the Stephen Avenue pedestrian mall, and the C-Train runs close by, with the nearest stations at 1st Street SW and Centre Street. Hours and ticket prices change by season, and the evening is popular at sunset, so it is worth checking the official website. Cloud and haze can affect the view, and early morning often gives the sharpest visibility.

Visitors who are first-timers, photographers and anyone who wants to understand Calgary's setting between mountains and prairie find it rewarding.