Skylon Tower, Observation tower in Niagara Falls, Canada
Skylon Tower is an observation tower in Niagara Falls, Canada, featuring a cylindrical concrete structure that rises 160 meters above the falls. Glass elevators on the exterior carry visitors to enclosed and open-air viewing platforms offering broad views of the river, gorge, and surrounding countryside.
Construction started in May 1964 and lasted just over a year until completion. The official opening took place on October 6, 1965, marking the end of an ambitious riverside building project.
The name was coined as a variation on "skyscraper" for the space age, presented to the public on 28 October 1964; company head Edward Bull Jr. explained it this way. The tower's summit carries a verdigris-green copper roof, restored to its original bright copper colour in August and September 2008.
Three yellow exterior elevators reach the observation deck in 52 seconds; a stairway to the top has 662 steps. In clear weather the view is given as up to 130 km, reaching the shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The tower stands on a small hill about 200 metres from the Niagara River.
The revolving restaurant at the top completes one full rotation within an hour, allowing diners to experience slowly changing views of the falls during their meal. This rotation makes it possible to see all landmarks in the area from your table without moving.
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