Buildings made of ice. We’re not talking about that novelty bar you visited on a trip to Vegas. We’re talking incredible, impressive, complete structures built in the grand tradition of Ice Palaces all over the world.
Bundle up. This might get chilly.
The very first ice hotel was erected in 1990 in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Made out of 10,000 tons of ice “harvested” from the Torne River, Icehotel is rebuilt every year.
St Paul started holding its annual Winter Carnival after a snooty New York reporter wrote that Minnesota was “unfit for human habitation” in the winter. Its yearly centrepiece? This impressive ice palace.
Picture: St. Paul Almanac
Eagle River, Wisconsin is another small midwestern town that builds an ice palace every year. It started back in the 20s, because apparently there wasn’t much else to do. Seriously, that’s the explanation on the town’s website.
Picture: EagleRiver.org
Of course we can’t talk about ice buildings without going to the Great White North. The ice palace at Quebec’s annual winter carnival is so amazing, it almost doesn’t even look like it was made out of ice.
Picture: Carnaval de Québec
While we’re in Québec, we must mention the beautiful Hôtel de Glace, the only ice hotel in North America. Made of 15,000 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice, it has 36 rooms and hosts around 140,000 visitors every year.
Picture: Lori Ziimer/Flickr
It also has a chapel.
Picture: Lori Ziimer/Flickr
And a bar.
Picture: Lori Ziimer/Flickr
And a freaking slide.
Picture: Flickr
Planning a trek to Norway? Drape yourself in animal furs and drink vodka for warmth in the country’s northernmost ice hotel, the swank Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel.
Picture: Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel
The Lainio Snow Village in Finland opens every year in December and stays open at least through April. It even has an ice disco.
Picture: Flickr
The LumiLinna Snowcastle in Finland is so crazy and cartoonish it looks like it was inspired by a fairytale monstrosity.
Picture: Snowcastle.net
Harbin, China hosts the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival every year, where giant icy edifices are illuminated for a beautiful spectacle.
Picture: Flickr Blog
Likewise, Yanqing Ice Festival, held every February in Beijing during the Lunar New Year, features towering ice houses.
Picture: Edecio Martinez/Getty Images