Does China have its own Eiffel Tower? CNN lists tourist destinations featuring "great imitations"

▲CNN lists places that attract tourist crowds by replicating famous landmarks from around the world, with the most copied being France’s Eiffel Tower. (Image / from Wikimedia Commons, the same below)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Landmarks such as France's iconic Eiffel Tower, Egypt’s mysterious Tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and India’s Taj Mahal—can these world-famous attractions now be found all over the globe? In fact, this is a strategy adopted by many countries to attract more tourists by replicating globally renowned landmarks within their own borders. CNN (Cable News Network) introduces some classic "imitations" from around the world under the theme of "great imitations."

The Eiffel Tower in Paris enjoys global fame and is a must-visit attraction for anyone traveling to France. It is a source of pride for the French and one of the most outstanding architectural masterpieces in the world. This beautiful structure also held the title of the tallest building in the world for 45 years during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, until it was surpassed by the Chrysler Building in New York. But if the crowds at the base of the Eiffel Tower in Paris are off-putting, consider visiting an “imitation” closer to home.

%Examples include the Eiffel Tower replicas in Shenzhen (left image) and Hangzhou (right image), just two of the many Eiffel Tower copies found around the globe. (Image / screenshot from CNN)

Within China, there are two Eiffel Tower replicas located in Hangzhou and Shenzhen. Although the Hangzhou version is slightly slimmer compared to the original and the Shenzhen version looks as if it has endured a century of weathering, this doesn’t stop many tourists from taking photos here to make up for not seeing the real thing. CNN also mentions that if you live in Europe, the Americas, or Southeast Asia, you can find Eiffel Towers of various sizes in places like Las Vegas in the U.S., Berlin in Germany, and Kolkata in India.

▲The famous tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun will also be replicated outside the Valley of the Kings.

The tomb of Tutankhamun, world-renowned for the curse of the mysterious pharaoh and its vast collection of golden funerary objects, now has a Spanish company planning to replicate it. The Madrid-based company Factum Arte believes that every year, millions of tourists flock to Egypt’s Valley of the Kings to see Tutankhamun’s tomb, which could pose a threat to these fragile ancient monuments. Therefore, they decided to build a replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb not far from the Valley of the Kings, outside the former home of discoverer Howard Carter. They are also replicating the tombs of Queen Nefertari, wife of the famous Pharaohs Seti I and Ramses II. These replicas will be exhibited and opened to the public later this month.

In addition, there is also an imitation of India’s Taj Mahal. CNN humorously describes the replica built in Bangladesh as “the Taj Mahal will no longer be only India’s greatest mausoleum.” Moreover, for Michelangelo’s Renaissance masterpiece, the Statue of David, CNN has also tracked down its “siblings” scattered across the globe. If people in Taiwan can’t see the original David statue, there is a replica in front of the Chi Mei Corporation building in Rende District, Tainan City, allowing the public to get a taste of it.

%Add "The List" section.