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Reuters/Aly Song
If you visit Tianducheng, a day trip from Shanghai in China's Zhejiang province, you will be confronted by a 354-foot replica of the Eiffel tower.
Development on this Paris replica in China began in 2007 , but local media say it is a ghost town now.
Everyone points to China's ghost towns as proof of malaise in China's property sector.
But some, like Stephen Roach, former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, have argued that these cities will become "thriving metropolitan areas" as China continues to urbanize.
What's truly quirky about these ghost towns, however, is that some of them have been designed as replicas of Italian, German, English, and French towns.
We drew on photos from Reuters photographer Aly Song to give you a peek at Tianducheng.
The development of Tianducheng, a Paris replica, began in 2007.
Reuters/Aly Song
A residential area was built around a replica of the Eiffel tower.
Reuters/Aly Song
The replica of the Eiffel tower is 108 meters (354 feet) tall. The actual Eiffel tower is three times as tall.
Reuters/Aly Song
The town was designed to accommodate 10,000 people.
Reuters/Aly Song
But now, according to local media, the city is largely a ghost town.
Reuters/Aly Song
As few as 2,000 people are said to be there, but very little information is available on Tianducheng.
Reuters/Aly Song
The company that developed the town is called Zhejiang Guangsha Co. Ltd.
Reuters/Aly Song
The developers also planned to create a school, a hospital, and a country club.
Reuters/Aly Song
Newlyweds often visit Tianducheng and have photographs taken here. So that's one thing going for it.
REUTERS/Aly Song
You can stay in the Paris of the East at the Tianducheng Resort starting at $82 a night.
Reuters/Aly Song
There is even a fountain inspired by the famous fountain in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles.
Reuters/Aly Song
The town was "spurred by common notions of France as a romantic destination," according to Reuters.
Reuters/Aly Song
Look how European it is.
Reuters/Aly Song
Tianducheng isn't the only replica of a European city in China.
Reuters/Aly Song
There are also places inspired by Italian, German and English towns.
Reuters/Aly Song
Critics of China's growth model have said these ghost towns are symptomatic of a large property bubble.
Reuters/Aly Song
Caspar Stracke has a video tour of Tianducheng.
Now look at another Chinese ghost town ...
catherine Hyland / Vimeo
