One of Brazil's most iconic landmarks, Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue has been towering over the city since its completion in 1931. The Art Deco-style statue is an impressive 98 feet (30m) tall, 92 feet (28m) wide, and is known as a symbol of Christianity welcoming travellers from across the globe.
In Lisbon, Portugal, you'll find a similar-looking monument known as the Sanctuary of Christ the King and is one of the capital's most famous landmarks. The statue itself is only slightly smaller than the original, standing at 92 feet (28m) tall, although the majestic king stands on a base that's 262 feet (80m) high above the city. The Catholic monument, which is also dedicated to Christ, was built almost 30 years later, in 1959, than its Brazilian inspiration.
Known as one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome, the Trevi Fountain measures a lofty 85 feet (26m) tall and 65 feet (20m) wide. Although the fountain was actually commissioned in 1629, construction didn’t start until 1732 and it took around 30 years to finish. Millions of tourists usually flock to the fountain every year, and legend has it, throwing a coin into the water with your back turned will ensure you'll return to the city.
While the Las Vegas Strip has plenty of copycat versions of iconic European landmarks, this is its imitation of Rome's Trevi Fountain, located just outside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The much smaller replica closely resembles the original and has become a tourist hot spot in its own right, attracting those who fancy a bit of European architecture in the Silver State.
Regarded as one of the world's most famous military monuments, the Arc de Triomphe has been wowing locals and tourists in Paris, France since its inauguration in 1836. As well as seeing its stunning stone exterior, inside, visitors who can climb its 284 steps to the top are rewarded with a viewing deck boasting gorgeous panoramic views of the Paris skyline, including the Eiffel Tower.
The Shenzhen version, featured in the Window of the World park in China which showcases smaller versions of popular landmarks, is not quite as breathtaking. The much shorter replica of the iconic arch can be found in the Europe region of the park alongside a number of Paris’ other tourist hot spots including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Pyramid and the Jardin du Luxembourg fountains.
Formerly the world's longest and tallest bridge when it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge usually attracts more than 10 million visitors to gaze at the 746-foot (227m) high signature orange steel towers every year. Stretching an impressive 1.7 miles (2.7km), the grand bridge was built to connect the San Francisco Bay area and the Pacific Ocean. See more of America's most impressive bridges here.
In Portugal's capital, Lisbon, you'll find a similar-looking bridge known as the 25 de Abril Bridge (Ponte de 25 Abril), one of the city's most well-known landmarks. Although it resembles the Golden Gate with its similar striking exterior, the 25 de Abril was actually constructed by the American Bridge Company in 1966, the same company that built the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, not the Golden Gate.
Rome’s vast amphitheatre was once the site of sporting events and lavish festivals. Built between AD 70 and 72, the Colosseum (pictured) could seat around 50,000 bloodthirsty spectators eager to watch brutal animal hunts and gladiator contests. In recent years, China has made a name for its 'duplitecture’, or copycat architecture, and today a replica Colosseum exists in Macau.
Unlike the real Colosseum, the mini version (pictured) in Macau seats around 2,000 people and instead of hosting bloody battles, it's an entertainment venue. You'll find it in the Fisherman’s Wharf leisure complex which houses a mix of shopping, dining and entertainment facilities in the peninsula that’s become known as the Vegas of Asia.
At 46 stories high, the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas (pictured here) is a half-scale replica of the real deal. A glass lift takes you to the top where, instead of views over the Seine, you’ll look down on the Bellagio Fountains and dazzling lights of The Strip. See more of the world's most spectacular water displays here.
High in the Austrian mountains on the shores of an aquamarine lake, Hallstatt’s pastel-coloured houses and Alpine architecture are picture-perfect. Each year, millions of tourists flock to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, probably unaware that in China, a replica village exists.
The Hallstatt clone (pictured here) was opened near Huizhou in 2012 at an estimated cost of $940 million. As well as Austrian-style houses, there’s a village square and working church clock tower. Originally intended as housing for the rich, it’s now a major tourist attraction.
Spectacular and mysterious Stonehenge sits proudly on a hill in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside in England. While we know it's a burial site for an estimated 200 bodies, it's still a mystery as to why these people were laid to rest there, not to mention how and why the gigantic sarsen stones were erected. See more of the world's most mysterious stone circles here.
Thousands of miles away in a field in Virginia, USA, a bizarre replica stands. Foamhenge, as it’s called, is a life-size copy of the original, made entirely of Styrofoam (pictured). Created by artist Mark Cline in 2004, the blocks of Foamhenge look surprisingly stone-like from a distance. And while it may not have the history of the original Neolithic monument, it still draws the crowds when it opens on select dates (currently closed due to the pandemic). You'll find the structure at Cox Farm near Centreville, Virginia.
Dominating the hill of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, the temple that is dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena remained intact for two millennia. The magnificent site, which dates back to 447 BC, still draws tourists from far and wide who marvel at the slightly curved pillars that allow for an optical illusion whereby it looks perfectly straight from every angle.
In Centennial Park, Nashville, sits a full-size replica of the Parthenon. However, this Tennessee copycat was constructed some 2,500 years later in the late 19th century. Originally intended as a temporary structure to mark Tennessee’s Exposition in 1897, it was so popular it stayed. Today, the Tennessee Parthenon (pictured) houses an art gallery. As replicas go, this is pretty meticulous – the plaster copies of the Elgin Marbles were cast from the originals and there’s a 42-foot (13m) high sculpture of Athena covered in gold leaf. However, the building is made from concrete, unlike the original which was marble.
An estimated three million people descend on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota each year, eager to glimpse the faces of four US presidents carved into the granite rock face. The colossal masterpiece took a painstaking 14 years to create and Washington’s head is a staggering 60 feet (18m) high, his nose is 21 feet (6.4m) long and his mouth 18 feet (5.5m) wide.
China’s replica in Chongqing Park is somewhat less impressive than the original, but nevertheless popular amongst locals. While it does feature all four presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln), it’s far smaller and apparently a lot grubbier.
It took 20,000 people over 20 years to build the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Named as one of the 'New 7 Wonders of the World', this shimmering construction was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1631 as a mausoleum to his late wife. When Legoland Malaysia opened its doors in 2012, a model of the palace was revealed...
Unlike the vast real palace, which is made from marble and inlaid with semi-precious stones, the Malaysian mini model (pictured) is built from Lego bricks. Constructed to scale, it even features the Taj Mahal’s lush grass and glassy ponds. Over 30 million Lego bricks were used to create Miniland which also features a replica Angkor Wat.
Quintessential British market towns, such as Henley-on-Thames in southern England, are famous for their historic architecture, cobbled streets and open squares. In 2006, Chinese developers unveiled an eerily accurate, mock market town near Shanghai. So fastidious was their attention to detail, it’s said they even imported lampposts from the UK. Take a look at more of the UK's prettiest towns and villages.
Complete with red telephone boxes, cobbled streets and even a Gothic church, Chinese Thames Town (pictured here) reportedly cost 5 billion yuan ($330m) to build. Today, economic problems mean it’s largely deserted although it’s a popular location for newlyweds wanting unusual wedding snaps.
This architectural museum (pictured here), near Nikko, houses 102 replica landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, pyramids and Statue of Liberty. The models are all made on a 1:25 scale and to complete the look, they’re dotted with 140,000 detailed model people. Sadly though, you won’t find Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Pietà, inside.
The original Statue of Liberty, a vast Neoclassical sculpture, has been welcoming travellers arriving to New York since 1886 when France gifted her to the USA. Since then scores of copycat statues have appeared all over the world, varying in size and accuracy. China, Israel and France all have their own Lady Liberty but one of the best reproductions is in Tokyo, Japan.
Unlike the genuine Statue of Liberty, which is 305 feet (93m) tall from the base to the tip of her torch, and made from copper and cast iron, Tokyo’s version is just 39 feet (12m) high. Nevertheless, she is one of the city’s most photographed monuments, standing proud in Odaiba Marine Park.
Watching over the Egyptian pyramids of Giza, the vast limestone Sphinx has drawn millions of tourists to Egypt since excavations began in 1925. It has also spawned numerous replicas, some of them controversial. In 2016, a life-sized copy in northern China was torn down after complaints from Egypt. However, another faux Sphinx still exists at Shenzhen Window of the World, a theme park exhibiting miniature versions of some 130 attractions.
The Shenzhen version of the Sphinx may be considerably smaller – the original is 240 feet (73m) long and 66 feet (20m) high – but it still attracts fans eager for a whistle-stop tour of some of the world’s most famous landmarks. You can see Bangkok’s Grand Palace, St Mark’s Square and the Arc de Triomphe in a matter of hours. Like the real Sphinx, the Chinese version (pictured) also has a broken nose.
The oldest bridge to span Venice’s Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge is also the most famous. Completed in 1591, this Renaissance landmark is a great spot to soak up magical Venice and watch gondolas cut through the water below. But across the Atlantic in Vegas, there’s an unashamedly glitzy, modern version of the floating city. Now discover the world's landmarks under threat from climate change.
At The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas you’ll find a mock Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal (pictured here) which flows for a quarter of a mile through a piazza surrounded by luxury shops. You can even book a ride on a genuine Venetian gondola – you’ll be swept underneath bridges and balconies as you’re serenaded.
Like the original French masterpiece, Zhang Laffitte – which is just outside Beijing – is also made from Chantilly stone. It’s said 10,000 images were used to ensure features like the sweeping staircase and ceiling frescos were faithfully reproduced. Developer Zhang Yuchen has also added a spa and hotel to his estate (pictured).
One of Italy’s most visited attractions, the Leaning Tower of Pisa teeters unnervingly over the city’s cathedral complex. Made of marble, work on the 186-foot (57m) high landmark began in 1173, but it took nearly 200 years to complete. What many people don’t know is that a replica tower exists in Pisa’s twin town, Niles in Illinois.
Unlike the genuine Leaning Tower, the Leaning Tower of Niles (pictured) took just three years to build. It was constructed as a water storage facility and, at 94 feet (29m) high with a seven-foot (2m) lean, is half the size of the original Italian job. It’s also built of reinforced concrete.
Now see if you can guess these famous landmarks from their close-ups