Disclaimer: Yes, there is only one Eiffel, and it is in Paris, and it is not obscure. And yes, there are many replicas around the world, most of them being approximations that come in a variety of sizes and structural modifications.
Given the more than 50 replicas worldwide, what is special about the Eiffel Tower of Lahore? As an anonymous estate agent unafraid of repetitions once said, location, location, location. Pakistan may evoke different images, ideas, and feelings in people, but it wouldn’t be an overstretch to say that not many would mention anything even remotely related to the Eiffel Tower. In fact, the shape of the tower looming on the horizon is at odds with the more traditional skyline of Lahore.
The Eiffel Tower in Lahore stands about 262 feet tall, making it roughly one-quarter the height of the original and the third-largest replica. Because of its reduced size, its structure is also simpler. It does retain the signature shape and lattice work of the original, even though the latter is much less intricate. Also due to the size difference, the Eiffel Tower of Lahore accommodates only two observation decks instead of the three that the original has. One final and perhaps obvious detail is that the Eiffel Tower in Paris offers commending views of Paris and many of its countless landmarks. In contrast, the one in Lahore offers sweeping views of Bahria Town, a modern residential neighborhood characterized by gated housing complexes and large malls, beyond which different shades of green and brown denote the variety of crops cultivated in the surrounding countryside.
Entirely funded by the Punjab government, this tower was constructed in just 120 days between 2015 and 2016 for a total cost of about $216,000. One (and perhaps the only) question remaining is why it was constructed. The reason could not be more mundane: the Eiffel Tower of Lahore was built to create a landmark, and in that, it succeeded.