Estonia's 'Eiffel Tower' faces demolition

An Estonian all-wood version of the Eiffel Tower faces demolition unless its owners provide an expert safety report by the weekend, local authorities said.

The rickety 31-metre (101-feet) high structure was built by Jaan Alliksoo in 2008 on Hiiumaa, Estonia's second largest island, to give tourists greater views of the island and the Baltic Sea.

"We will discuss the matter soon at the county meeting and will decide then what to do," Arno Kuusk, constructions adviser at the local Korgessaare county told reporters.

According to city officials, Alliksoo has been served with several demolition orders to pull down the wooden tower, built on the western coast.

He would also be liable for a 18,000 kroons (1150 euros, 1519 dollars) fine for failure to comply with requests for an expert opinion. His latest deadline for a safety report was May 1.

"I wanted to make a one-tenth scale copy of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - I have never seen myself, but hope to see it one day," Alliksoo told local media.

Alliksoo improvised his construction plans from studying France's Eiffel Tower blueprints available on the internet.

Dubbed the Estonian Eiffel Tower, the towering building is decorated with both the Estonian and French flags and has its own website http://www.hiiumaaeiffel.ee/.