Shenzhen Shi, China

Window of the World

130 replicas of world wonders squeezed into just 118 acres of space.

At the bizarre Window of the World “global village” you will find a life-size Mount Rushmore, London’s Tower Bridge, the Great Pyramids of Giza, a miniature version of Myanmar’s Shwedagon Pagoda, and a scaled-down Taj Mahal replica—all without leaving China.

The Window of the World theme park packs 130 world wonders into just 118-acres in western Shenzhen, located in China’s Pearl River Delta, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Visitors can walk under the Arc de Triomphe, take a gondola down the canals of Venice, navigate the Colorado River down the Grand Canyon, and explore St. Basil’s Cathedral in just one day, so long as their feet can handle it.

True to its name, Window of the World features replicas of major attractions from every continent (save Antarctica), from Easter Island to Kenya to Italy. An oversized, disproportionately wide globe sits at the entrance, and visible from all directions is one of the largest Eiffel Tower replicas in the world, at one-third scale.

The park also brings different environments to the subtropical climate of southeastern China, including a reproduction of Niagara falls and a massive, climate-controlled indoor ski center, reminiscent of that of Dubai. It also hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year, with a diverse range of themes such as India, Japan, beer, and Santa Claus.

Perhaps the most petrifying attraction at Window of the World is the “Experience of Death” 4D ride, which has been described as the “world’s most disturbing ride.” The experience includes an excruciating 105-degree simulation of being cremated, followed by the passenger emerging in a womb-like room to mimic rebirth.