Montreal Tower
The Montreal Tower, formerly known as the Olympic Tower, is the world's tallest inclined structure, rising 165 metres at a 45-degree angle within Montreal's Olympic Park. Originally conceived for the 1976 Summer Olympics, the tower was not completed until 1987 and serves as a key architectural and functional component of the city's Olympic Stadium complex. It is a notable Canadian structure due to its unique design, its role in stadium operations, and its recent conversion into a major office space. As of 2025, the tower is closed for renovations as part of a broader renewal of Olympic Park, with a planned reopening scheduled for the fall of 2027.
Architectural Design and Construction History
The Montreal Tower was designed by French architect Roger Taillibert as the central support element for the Olympic Stadium complex built for the 1976 Summer Games. Its defining characteristic is its 45-degree incline, a far more severe angle than the less than 4-degree lean of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This design was fundamentally structural, engineered to support the cables required to operate the stadium's intended retractable roof. Significant construction delays meant the tower was not finished in time for the Olympics themselves. It only reached its full 165-metre height and was officially opened to the public more than a decade later, in 1987. The prolonged and costly construction process became a notable part of Montreal's civic history, with the tower's distinctive form remaining a permanent feature of the city's east-end skyline.
Original Functions and Public Amenities
The tower's primary technical function has always been to support the cable system for the Olympic Stadium's retractable roof, a role integral to the stadium's original design. For the public, the main attraction was an inclined elevator, a unique ride that travelled up the slanted core to an observatory deck. This observatory provided expansive views of Montreal and housed displays on the history of the 1976 Olympics and the stadium complex. One exhibit detailed Caitlyn Jenner's decathlon victory, achieved under her former name Bruce Jenner during those Games. The sightlines from the tower encompass several other major attractions within the 1976 Olympic site, including the Olympic Village, the Biodome, the Montreal Botanical Garden, and Saputo Stadium, home to the Montreal soccer club.
Adaptive Reuse and Office Conversion
In a major shift from its original purposes, the tower underwent a comprehensive conversion between 2015 and 2019. The Olympic Installations Board directed a $200 million project to repurpose the structure into a modern office tower. The architectural firm Provencher Roy led the design for this adaptive reuse initiative, which involved significant interior renovations to create commercial space. The Desjardins Group became the anchor tenant, and by 2019 the tower housed more than 1,000 of its employees. This project was selected as an Honour winner in the Architecture: Adaptive Reuse category at the Architect's 2022 Architecture and Interior Awards. The conversion demonstrated a practical and sustainable approach to giving a historic, purpose-built structure a new long term economic function.
Renaming, Renovation and Current Closure
The structure was officially renamed from Olympic Tower to Montreal Tower in 2014, a change reflecting its evolving identity beyond its original Olympic purpose. As of 2025, the tower is closed to the public as part of extensive renovations across the Olympic Park site. This closure is temporary, with current plans aiming for a reopening in the fall of 2027. The broader park renovations are occurring alongside the 50th anniversary celebrations of the 1976 Olympic Games in 2026. Heritage Montreal organized guided tours in 2026 that explored the park and other city sports sites as part of these anniversary events. The renovation work includes creative reuse projects, such as transforming materials from the stadium's old roof into public art installations like the 'ÉLANS' sculpture within the park.
Role in Contemporary Sports and Event Hosting
The Montreal Tower and the wider Olympic Park remain an active hub for major sporting and cultural events, continuing the site's legacy. In 2026, the park was the venue for two events featured on Sports Events Montreal's Champions Tour for industry professionals, the Red Bull Heavy Metal Montreal snowboarding competition and the World Aquatics Diving World Cup. The tour's discussion theme at the park focused on event site operations and management. The stadium itself hosts large scale events like the BASS SHIP electronic music festival scheduled for November 2026 and the Salon National des Animaux de Compagnie. Architectural tours in 2026 titled 'Montreal, City of Sports' began at the Olympic Park, highlighting its enduring place in the city's sports infrastructure.
Integration within the Olympic Park Complex
The tower is a central element of the larger Olympic Park, an urban complex designed by Roger Taillibert that includes a large esplanade, a 56,000 seat stadium, and a sport centre. The park is a major destination in Montreal's Hochelaga Maisonneuve borough, featuring extensive green spaces used for recreation and events. Key neighbouring institutions include the Montreal Biodome, located in the converted former velodrome, and the Montreal Botanical Garden, one of the largest of its kind in the world. At the base of the tower is the Olympic Park Sports Centre, which provides facilities for both community use and elite athlete training. This concentration of sports, scientific, cultural, and horticultural attractions makes the park a distinct and heavily used district in the city.
Structural Details and Comparisons
The Montreal Tower's structural specifications are what grant it global recognition. At 165 metres, it holds the record as the tallest inclined structure in the world. Its inclination of 45 degrees is not merely for visual effect but is a fundamental part of its engineering to bear the load of the stadium roof cables. This lean is over ten times more severe than that of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Within Montreal itself, the tower ranks as the tenth tallest structure overall. The materials and design are consistent with the sweeping concrete forms used throughout Taillibert's Olympic Stadium complex, creating a cohesive if monumental architectural statement.
Questions about Montreal Tower
Why is the Montreal Tower famous?
The Montreal Tower is famous for being the tallest inclined structure in the world, leaning at a pronounced 45-degree angle. It is a key part of the Montreal skyline and the Olympic Stadium complex built for the 1976 Summer Games. Its unique design by architect Roger Taillibert and its long, delayed construction history have made it a subject of architectural and civic interest. The tower is also known for its previous inclined elevator and observatory, which offered historical exhibits and views before its current closure and conversion.
Can you go up the Montreal Tower?
As of 2025, public access to the Montreal Tower is not available as the structure is closed for renovations. The tower previously featured an inclined elevator that transported visitors to an observatory near the top. This observatory held exhibits on the Olympic Games and provided panoramic views of the city and surrounding park. The tower is scheduled to reopen to the public in the fall of 2027 following the completion of the current renovation work at Olympic Park.
What is inside the Montreal Tower now?
Following a major conversion project between 2015 and 2019, the primary function of the Montreal Tower is as office space. The architectural firm Provencher Roy led the $200 million adaptive reuse project to transform the interior for commercial use. The Desjardins Group is the main tenant, housing over 1,000 employees there as of 2019. While the observatory was a previous public feature, the current interior is configured for office work, though the structure's external role in supporting the stadium's roof cables remains unchanged.
When will the Montreal Tower reopen?
The Montreal Tower is currently closed as part of the wider Olympic Park renovation project. According to the latest information, the tower is set to reopen in the fall of 2027. This closure and renovation period is happening alongside celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Montreal Olympics in 2026. The reopening will allow public access to resume after several years of construction and upgrades to the park's facilities.
How tall is the Montreal Tower and how does it compare?
The Montreal Tower stands 165 metres, or 541 feet, tall. This height makes it the tallest inclined structure on the planet and the tenth tallest structure in the city of Montreal. Its 45-degree inclination is much more extreme than the less than 4-degree lean of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tower's significant height and steep angle are its most defining physical characteristics, making it a unique engineering feat and a recognizable landmark.
What is the connection between the tower and the stadium roof?
The Montreal Tower has a direct functional connection to the Olympic Stadium's roof. It was specifically designed to support the network of cables that open and close the stadium's retractable roof. This engineering purpose was a key reason for the tower's construction, though the roof mechanism itself has a history of technical problems and the stadium began 2026 under construction and without a roof. The tower's structural role is separate from its other uses as an observatory and office building, anchoring it as a crucial component of the stadium's original infrastructure.
Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-21.
