Chinese city’s copy of London’s Tower Bridge sparks public debate
Some on social media say they are ‘embarrassed’ by the construction
A copy of London Tower Bridge in the tourist city of Suzhou has drawn controversy with some people in favour of it and claiming it “more magnificent” than the British version, while others belittle it as one of China’s ugliest constructions.
Suzhou’s London Tower Bridge is one of many copies of world-renowned buildings erected across China.
The bridge, built in 2014 and located above the river Yuanhetang, looks similar to the famous span in the UK capital, although there are slight changes such as having four towers instead of two, thepaper.cn reports.
The bridge is 45.9 meters wide, including fast and slow lanes and a pavement. The height of each tower is 40 metres, with bases of 10 metres square. Four gold crowns decorate the top of each tower.
Above the bridge are two suspended enclosed paths that connect the towers on both sides of the river. Pedestrians can walk on the paths, which have windows from which to enjoy the views.
The bridge, which cost hundreds of millions of yuan, has drawn debate from the public. Many local residents said they like it, and it has proved a popular backdrop for wedding pictures. Other users of social media have said they felt ashamed of such a building.
There are many copies of overseas landmark constructions in China, including the United States Capitol, the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe from Paris and London’s Buckingham Palace.
