Huawei is building a replica of Český Krumlov castle at its headquarters

One of the Czech Republic’s most-visited cities is being paid the ultimate compliment: Chinese electronics giant Huawei is currently building an exact replica of Český Krumlov at its headquarters in Dongguan, just outside of Shenzhen.

In addition to Český Krumlov (dubbed “Činský Krumlov” by the Czech press), Granada, Verona, Paris, Budapest, and Bruges are also on the list of European cities being reenvisioned on the Huawei campus.

Construction reportedly began in 2015.

The Dongguan, headquarters is reportedly 9 square kilometers and accommodates up to 25,000 Huawei employees.

Český Krumlov mayor Dalibor Cardo recently weighed in on the topic: “I heard about it when they started preparing it. The fact that they [are] building it without at least contacting the city does not sit well with me.” He adds that despite these misgivings he still takes the Chinese building project lightly.

Chinese tourists are the largest segment of visitors to Český Krumlov and growing.

Over 410,000 people visited Český Krumlov Castle last year. The castle area and the Baroque garden are said to attract roughly 1 million visitors annually. The center of Český Krumlov is visited by up to 2 million tourists a year.