The once-incredible £762m mini town built as an exact replica of famous European city

Despite its uncanny similarities with a more famous city, this housing estate is not in Europe.

Photo shows a replica of the Eiffel Tower in Tianducheng, a...

Believe it or not - this isn't Paris (Image: Getty)

Just over 6,000 miles from the City of Love, a huge structure that looks almost identical to the Eiffel Tower watches over a housing estate in China. Tianducheng was built to bear an uncanny resemblance to the French capital.

As well as the iconic Eiffel Tower, the housing estate also has its own Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysées main square and a fountain from the Luxembourg Gardens. It's hard to believe you're not in France when you're walking through Tianducheng's streets, which are complete with French neoclassical-style buildings.

The quirky travel destination, which reportedly cost $1bn (£762m) to build, is considered a "unique gem" amongst visitors, with Chinese tourists flocking to the city to enjoy its picture-perfect backdrop. However, the area is somewhat of a ghost town, with most of the properties remaining vacant, The National Geographic reports.

Photo shows a replica of Paris in Tianducheng, a residential...

The resemblance is shocking (Image: Getty)

Forming replica towns in China is more common than you may think. Sitting on the outskirts of Bejing is a resort town that looks just like Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Complete with a 'Route 66', and cowboys, China's Jackson Hole has taken everything after the area that inspired it, including the name and its famous 'Cowboy Bar'.

The Chinese resort town makes you feel as though you are in the Wild West, but a dead giveaway that you're not is the size. Unlike America's larger than life structures, this Jackson Hole is far more petite.

CHINA-ARCHITECTURE

It's a popular destination for wedding pictures (Image: Getty)

Although most who come to Tianducheng travel domestically, the city is still very much accessible from abroad. It is easy enough to get to from Shanghai, with a two-hour train ride setting you back around £15.

The closest airport is Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, if you wish to solely travel to Tianducheng. From the airport, it is around 15 miles away by taxi.

When you're there, you can enjoy the luxury that Tianducheng has to offer - preferably manicured lawns and the sights of Paris without the bustling crowds.

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