China creates duplicate of I.M. Pei's Louvre Pyramid in Shijiazhuang
by Tom Anstey | 07 Sep 2015
After drawing the ire of the Egyptian government when it created a replica sphinx last year, a Chinese theme park in Shijiazhuang has added to its collection, creating a 1:1 replica version of Paris’ Louvre Pyramid.
Not sharing quite the same iconic locale, the replica Louvre Pyramid – the original of which first opened in 1989 – sits in the overgrown field of the unique amusement park/movie set in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province.
Originally designed by Chinese architect I.M. Pei, the like-for-like replica of the iconic Parisian structure now sits to the left of the fake Sphinx, while a clone of Beijing's ancient Temple of Heaven is being developed on the building’s right.
When the replica sphinx was unveiled last year, government officials from Cairo lambasted the recreation, with Antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim claiming the copycat “harmed the cultural heritage of Egypt”.
The fake Louvre seems to have prompted a similar reaction online, with many blaming the ‘duplitecture culture’ – architectural replicas of tourist areas and attractions around the world – of the country, which has previously gone as far as to recreate entire international communities for tourists to visit.
Egyptian antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim said the copycat 'harmed the cultural heritage of Egypt'
Although largely a building site, the attraction is open for tourists to visit the Sphinx and Louvre replicas
A clone of Beijing's ancient Temple of Heaven is being developed on the building’s right
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Paris’ Louvre remains world’s most visited museum
After drawing the ire of the Egyptian government when it created a replica sphinx last year, a Chinese theme park in Shijiazhuang has added to its collection, creating a 1:1 replica version of Paris’ Louvre Pyramid. Not sharing quite the same iconic locale, the replica Louvre Pyramid – the original of which first opened in 1989 – sits in the overgrown field of the unique amusement park/movie set in Shijiazhuang,
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
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