The Northern Hemisphere is deep into winter, the perfect time for ice sculptures. But the city of Harbin in China is hosting some very ambitious ice sculptures for their annual International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.
The weather seems to be just right for the sculptures. This city in the north of China has temperatures as low as a balmy 2 degrees Fahrenheit (-16.67 Celsius). There are sculptures of all sizes at this festival, but the biggest ones could easily be mistaken for buildings, with palaces, pagodas, and even sculptures of Buddha all represented. Some of the builders have even put escalators in the sculptures, allowing people to ride up them easily, perhaps lessening the risk of slipping on icy stairs.
The sculptures look most impressive after dark, when the beautiful multicolored lights installed in the sculptures come on. These sculptures are all amazing feats of engineering. The festival has been held every year since 1985. This year’s festival started January 5 and will last until the end of next February, so if you’re looking for somewhere to go, you might try booking some last-minute plane tickets.
If you’re interested in some other geeky ice sculptures, here are some cool ones one Chicago suburb did of Angry Birds. And for some silly winter fun, check out these hungover snowmen.
