Traveling along the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece, you might be startled to come upon an Eiffel Tower reaching toward the heavens. Built in the 1960s, the replica of the iconic Paris monument is situated at the entrance of the small town of Filiatra in the regional unit of Messinia.
The 26-meter (83-foot) tall replica is much smaller than the original yet is just as lovely as local residents claim. It was built with funding and support from Greek-American doctor and local benefactor Haralampos Fournarakis.
The Filiatra tower isn’t a true replica, however, since its design differs in a few major ways.
As an article on the Wonders of the World points out, Fournarakis used light grey metal to construct the tower, which he shaped “a little too long.” He also placed the second floor of his tower too low, compared to the original, and changed the shape of the third floor.
However, to startled tourists driving by, Fournarakis’ version looks like a convincing, smaller copy of the real Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
A popular TikToker recently visited Filiatra and was impressed by the local Eiffel Tower. @arielviera, with almost 700,000 followers shot a video and wrote: “Why go to Paris when you can go to Southern Greece? This is the Eiffel Tower of Filiatra in the Peloponnese.”
@urbanistariel 🧐 Why go to Paris when you can go to Southern Greece? This is the Eiffel Tower of Filiatra in the Peloponnese. Evan of @explorabilia tells us more about this much-loved landmark. #peloponnese #greektiktok
Contrasting opinions on Eiffel Tower of Greece
Filiatra locals are proud of their tower, but not all visitors are equally impressed. One was totally unimpressed with the tower: “Helps me cut my highway speed before entering the town,” he commented on the TripAdvisor website.
Another said: “It could be clever if there was something else to do here, but that’s it, guys.” In 2012, Greek media reported that the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, incensed by the Greek tower, had sent a letter of complaint to UNESCO requesting the immediate removal of the replica.
“It is an obscure caricature and represents an aesthetic attack on French civilization and global architectural heritage,” he was quoted as saying.
Nevertheless, even if you are unimpressed by the Eiffel Tower of Filiatra, the town has other attractions that may be worth a visit. It boasts an impressive main square where you can see the famous clock that decorates the city and the Venetian fountain.
In the area, there are several medieval and Byzantine monuments that might be of interest to travelers, including the monastery of St. Christophoros and the historical Vlacherna monastery.
One of the most known traditions in the area is the festival of the watermelon. The tradition started in 2007 and continues every year from mid-May until mid-June. During this period, people are served a lot of cool watermelon which is produced in this area.
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