The Biggest Snow Fort - SnowCastle of Kemi

The SnowCastle of Kemi is the biggest snow fort in the world. It is rebuilt every winter with a different architecture in Kemi, Finland. In 1996 the first snow castle drew 300,000 visitors.

The area covered by the castle has varied from 13,000 to over 20,000 square meters. The highest towers have been over 20 meters high and longest walls over 1,000 meters long, and the castle has had up to three stories. Despite its varying configurations, the snow castle has a few recurring elements: a chapel, a restaurant and a hotel.

• The SnowRestaurant has ice tables and seats covered with reindeer fur, as well as ice sculptures.
   
• The ecumenical SnowChapel with 50–100 seats has seen numerous weddings of couples from as far away as Japan and Hong Kong.

• The SnowHotel offers a choice of double rooms and a honeymoon suite, all of which are decorated by local artists using local materials.

The SnowCastle of Kemi also hosts such things as an adventure land for children, a theatre and ice art exhibitions with lights and sound effects. Many opera singers and dancers have performed in the SnowCastle of Kemi.


Opening Hours 2010


Opening ceremony of the SnowCastle the 30th of January 2010 at 6 pm

The SnowCastle-season begins the 31st of January 2010 and ends the 12th of April 2010, weather permitting. The SnowCastle is open during the season daily from 10 am – 7 pm. Every year the SnowCastle is different and full of exciting experiences, as the SnowCastle is built anew at the beginning of each winter-season. Therefore its contents and architecture varies yearly.

SnowRestaurant
Open 10 am – 7 pm
Lunch is served at 12 noon and at 2 pm
Dinner is served at 7 pm

Outside opening hours the SnowRestaurant can be reserved privately

Source: wikipedia.org, snowcastle.net