China’s fake Sphinx to be demolished after Egyptian complaints

A full-size replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza at an attraction in Northern China's Hebei province is to be dismantled following Egyptian Government complaints.

China’s official Xinhua news agency has reported that the massive replica of the ancient statue will be demolished following Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities having complained to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) about the Chinese imitation.

The Xinhua report quoted an official with the attraction on the outskirts of the provincial capital Shijiazhuang as saying the imitation would serve only as a temporary scene for shooting movies and television dramas.

The official stated “we are very respectful to world cultural heritage and express our apologies for any misunderstanding.”

The replica, about 80 metres long and 30 metres tall, is made of steel bars and cement.

With Las Vegas in the USA well known for featuring replicas of iconic global attractions including Venice’s Grand Canal and the Great Pyramid of Giza, many Chinese ‘cultural parks’ have followed suit.

Well known global tourism icons such as Mount Rushmore, the Eiffel Tower, fountains from the Palace of Versailles stand and replica Austrian and French villages feature at attractions across the country.In 2012, plans by an Indian trust to build a replica of Cambodia's massive Angkor Wat temple in Indian provoked an angry response from the Government of Cambodia.

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