eiffel tower
August 2, 2013
Chinese tourists may be flocking to Paris, but they are ignoring their own little piece of the City of Lights on the mainland. A small development called Tianducheng on the outskirts of Hangzhou is known within the country as China’s “little Paris.” It is complete with tree-lined plazas, stalls for quaint coffee shops and storefronts (mostly empty), and even an Eiffel Tower at one-third of full size. Some architectural experts have lauded the imitation, but five years after its construction, few Chinese residents have taken a shine to it.