An automatic unfolding and folding tower crane, comprising a jib and a telescopic mast, the telescopic mast comprising at least a first mast section and a second mast section configured such that the first mast section may slide in the second mast section along a longitudinal direction, the first mast section having at least: two primary lateral faces (11, 12), a primary front face and a primary rear face, the primary front face being oriented towards the jib when the tower crane is in an operation position, the primary rear face being opposite to the primary front face, the second mast section having at least: two secondary lateral faces (21, 22), a secondary front face and a secondary rear face, the secondary front face being oriented towards the jib when the tower crane is in the operation position, the secondary rear face being opposed to the secondary front face, the tower crane being characterized in that: the telescopic mast further comprises a front latch and a rear latch which are movable at least in translation orthogonally to the longitudinal direction and respectively between: - locking positions, wherein the front latch cooperates with the primary and secondary front faces, and where the rear latch cooperates with the primary and secondary rear faces, so as to immobilize the first mast section relative to the second mast section, and - release positions, wherein the front latch and the rear latch release the first mast section relative to the second mast section, the telescopic mast further comprises an actuating device configured to displace the front latch and the rear latch between the release positions and the locking positions thereof, the actuating device being arranged in the first mast section, the front latch, the rear latch, the secondary front face and the secondary rear face being configured such that the front latch transmits, between the first mast section and the second mast section, only efforts oriented in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. the telescopic mast further comprises a front latch and a rear latch which are movable at least in translation orthogonally to the longitudinal direction and respectively between: - locking positions, wherein the front latch cooperates with the primary and secondary front faces, and where the rear latch cooperates with the primary and secondary rear faces, so as to immobilize the first mast section relative to the second mast section, and - release positions, wherein the front latch and the rear latch release the first mast section relative to the second mast section, - locking positions, wherein the front latch cooperates with the primary and secondary front faces, and where the rear latch cooperates with the primary and secondary rear faces, so as to immobilize the first mast section relative to the second mast section, and - release positions, wherein the front latch and the rear latch release the first mast section relative to the second mast section, the telescopic mast further comprises an actuating device configured to displace the front latch and the rear latch between the release positions and the locking positions thereof, the actuating device being arranged in the first mast section, the front latch, the rear latch, the secondary front face and the secondary rear face being configured such that the front latch transmits, between the first mast section and the second mast section, only efforts oriented in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.