A Lonely Eiffel Tower in Hangzhou: The Story of China’s Fake Paris

Somewhere on the outskirts of Hangzhou, an Eiffel Tower replica rises into the sky. It isn’t part of a theme park or a movie set. This is Tianducheng, a residential development that was once imagined as China’s own Paris. With Haussmann-style apartment blocks, stone fountains, and broad boulevards, the town was designed to resemble the City of Light in almost every detail. But there is one thing missing: people.

What was once meant to be a romantic vision of European-style living has become one of China’s most surreal ghost towns. Today, the streets are quiet. A few residents walk their dogs. Couples come here to take wedding photos. Tourists visit out of curiosity. But most of the area still feels eerily still. The buildings look untouched as if waiting for a crowd that never arrived.

This is the story of Tianducheng, a place that exists somewhere between reality and simulation.

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The dream: Building a Paris of the East

Tianducheng was developed in 2007 by Zhejiang Guangsha, a major real estate company. It was designed as a luxury neighbourhood for more than 10,000 residents, with a layout inspired by 19th-century Parisian architecture. At the centre stands a 108-metre Eiffel Tower replica, surrounded by Baroque-style fountains, neoclassical facades, and tree-lined avenues.

There is even a smaller version of the Champs-Élysées, complete with wide roads and ornate balconies. The project aimed to bring a slice of European elegance to Zhejiang province, offering a taste of Paris without ever leaving China. It was marketed to the rising middle class as an ideal blend of status, romance, and urban sophistication.

At the time, themed developments like this were common across the country. There were Austrian alpine villages, Dutch windmill towns, and even a British-inspired Thames Town near Shanghai. But few were as elaborate or as committed to the concept as Tianducheng.

The design was striking. But it soon became clear that architecture alone couldn’t create a thriving community.

The fall: Why it didn’t work

Despite its grand vision, Tianducheng never became the vibrant neighbourhood it was meant to be. From the start, the location posed challenges. Situated on the edge of Hangzhou, the development was far from the city’s main commercial and transport hubs. There wasn’t much nearby to support daily life. There were no major malls, limited schools, and few job opportunities.

Apartments were expensive, but the infrastructure didn’t match the price tag. Early residents complained about poor connectivity and long commutes. Others were put off by the eerie atmosphere. For all its beauty, Tianducheng felt strangely lifeless. Some buildings stood empty for years. Others were never fully completed.

Over time, the development gained a reputation online as a failed experiment in urban planning. Photos of its empty streets and lonely Eiffel Tower began circulating on forums and travel blogs. People started calling it one of China’s ghost towns, grouping it with other half-abandoned projects like Ordos City in Inner Mongolia and the unfinished Wonderland Amusement Park near Beijing.

But the story doesn’t end there.

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What it’s like now

Today, Tianducheng is no longer completely empty. In recent years, developers have restarted some construction in the area, and more residents have slowly moved in. The surrounding district has grown, and parts of Hangzhou’s metro system now connect directly to the town. There are schools, shops, and parks nearby — even a Tianducheng Station on Metro Line 3.

Still, the core of the development remains quiet. Many buildings are intact but underused. The streets are clean, but there’s little foot traffic. What you hear most is the sound of birds, and the occasional click of a camera shutter.

Photographers love it here. So do drone hobbyists, urban explorers, and couples taking pre-wedding portraits. The replica Eiffel Tower and French gardens make it look like a European dream, but the silence gives it a surreal edge. It’s a place that feels both grand and unfinished, familiar and uncanny.

If you visit early in the morning, you might have the entire square to yourself. The air is crisp, the light hits the buildings at a soft angle, and for a moment, you could almost believe you were somewhere else.

Visiting tips

Tianducheng is located in the Linping District of Hangzhou, about 40 minutes by metro from the city centre. From Hangzhou East Railway Station, take Metro Line 3 to Tianducheng Station, then follow signs toward the Eiffel Tower. The main attractions are within walking distance.

You don’t need a ticket to enter the area. It’s a public neighbourhood, so you’re free to explore the plazas and streets. The best times to visit are weekday mornings or late afternoons when the light is nice and the crowds are minimal. Bring a camera, wear comfortable shoes, and be respectful of the residents who live there.

There aren’t many cafes or restaurants inside the development itself, but you’ll find convenience stores and small eateries nearby.

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Final thoughts

Tianducheng may not be the bustling neighbourhood it was meant to be, but that’s part of what makes it interesting. It’s a place that raises quiet questions about ambition, imitation, and the kinds of cities we build. Even if it never fully lived up to its original vision, it has found a second life as a curiosity — part travel destination, part cautionary tale.

For travellers who enjoy the strange, the quiet, or the in-between, Tianducheng offers something rare. It isn’t a theme park or a museum. It’s a real place, still changing, still standing.

And somewhere behind the silence, the Eiffel Tower is still there, watching.