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China's Tianducheng is unlike any other residential development in the world. Built for more than US$1 billion on the outskirts of Hangzhou, the neighbourhood recreates the look and feel of Paris with its own Eiffel Tower, French-style boulevards and elegant European architecture.
Over the years, viral videos and social media posts have repeatedly portrayed it as an abandoned "ghost city", leading millions of people to believe the ambitious project had failed. However, that perception is no longer accurate. Today, Tianducheng is a thriving residential community where families, cafés, parks and busy public spaces have replaced the emptiness that once defined its reputation, showing how the internet's version of a place can lag far behind reality.
The making of China's fake Paris
Tianducheng, meaning "Sky City", is a residential district in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, developed by Zhejiang Guangsha Co. Ltd. Construction began around 2007 as part of an ambitious housing project that sought to recreate the elegance and atmosphere of Paris. Rather than building a tourist attraction, the developers envisioned a premium residential community that would appeal to affluent homebuyers looking for distinctive European-style surroundings.
Inspired by the French capital's iconic landmarks, wide boulevards and classical architecture, the project became one of China's most ambitious examples of themed urban development and attracted international attention long before it was fully occupied.
The Eiffel Tower, French boulevards and Parisian charm
At the heart of Tianducheng stands a 108-metre (354-foot) replica of the Eiffel Tower, roughly one-third the height of the original monument in Paris. The district also features tree-lined avenues inspired by the Champs-Élysées, Haussmann-style apartment buildings with ornate façades, elegant fountains, statues, manicured gardens and spacious public squares.
Every element was designed to evoke the character of the French capital while serving as part of a functioning residential neighbourhood.
The European-inspired architecture has also made the district a popular location for photography, tourism and wedding shoots.
How Tianducheng became known as a 'ghost city'
Although Tianducheng was designed to house more than 100,000 residents, only a small number of people moved in during its early years. By around 2013, estimates suggested that only about 2,000 people lived there, leaving many apartment blocks, streets and plazas noticeably quiet.
Images of empty roads surrounding the replica Eiffel Tower quickly spread through international media, which frequently cited Tianducheng as one of China's most prominent "ghost cities".
The label reflected the development's low initial occupancy, even though the project continued to expand and attract residents over time.
The transformation from empty streets to a thriving neighbourhood
Over the following decade, Tianducheng gradually shed its reputation as improved transport links connected it more closely with central Hangzhou.
New apartment complexes were completed, schools and commercial facilities opened, and more families chose to settle in the area. By 2017, the population had reportedly grown to around 30,000 residents, transforming the once-quiet development into a functioning suburban community.
The gradual increase in occupancy demonstrated that many large housing projects require years, rather than months, to mature into vibrant neighbourhoods.
What visitors experience today
Visitors expecting deserted streets are often surprised by what they find. While mornings can still appear relatively quiet because of the district's broad boulevards and generous public spaces, the atmosphere changes significantly later in the day. Families gather in the parks, children cycle through the plazas, elderly residents perform traditional square dances and cafés welcome local customers. Wedding photographers regularly use the Eiffel Tower replica and French-inspired architecture as scenic backdrops, creating scenes that resemble a European city while remaining unmistakably Chinese in everyday life.
Why China built replica European towns
Tianducheng is not an isolated project. During China's rapid urban expansion in the 2000s, developers built several residential communities inspired by famous European destinations as a way to differentiate their projects in an increasingly competitive property market. Replicas and themed developments based on Venice, London, Hallstatt in Austria, Amsterdam and Florence also appeared across the country.
While some developments struggled with low occupancy in their early years, others gradually attracted residents as infrastructure, transport and local services improved, becoming ordinary neighbourhoods despite their unusual architecture.
The internet's outdated image of Tianducheng
Despite its transformation, Tianducheng continues to be portrayed online as an abandoned curiosity. Viral videos and recycled photographs taken during its early years still circulate on social media, reinforcing a perception that no longer matches reality. Today, the district is a lived-in residential community where daily life unfolds beneath its replica Eiffel Tower and French-style streets.
