World’s largest indoor snow and ice park opens in China

Beijing
CNN
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The world’s largest indoor ice and snow theme park has officially opened to the public, allowing visitors to the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin to feel winter temperatures all year round.

Harbin, China’s northernmost large city, is the capital of Heilongjiang Province. Also known as the Ice City, the city is characterized by long, cold, snowy winters and short, cool summers. The annual Harbin Ice and Snow Festival began in 1999 and is held every year from December to early March.

At an opening ceremony this month, Guinness World Records officials awarded Harbin Ice and Snow World the title of “world’s largest indoor ice and snow theme park.”

Ironically, the opening coincided with a scorching heat wave in Harbin, with outdoor temperatures reaching a high of 29 degrees Celsius (84 F), while the indoor theme park remained at a chilly -8 to -12 degrees Celsius (17.6 to 10.4 F).

Opened on July 6, Harbin Ice and Snow World covers an area of ​​23,800 square meters and is divided into nine thematic sections with 13 interactive projects. Utilizing advanced ice carving techniques and incorporating cutting-edge lighting, sound and interactive technology, the park offers an immersive experience.

The ice used in the construction of the park’s attractions was sourced from the Songhua River, with a total volume of 20,000 cubic meters of ice. Once inside, visitors can enjoy a magical atmosphere filled with ice, light, entertainment, gourmet food and cultural creations, as well as vibrant ice sculptures of fruit, ice cream and cakes, made using edible dyes in a special environmentally friendly coloring process.

Harbin’s annual snow and ice festival attracts tens of thousands of tourists from China and abroad, and the new attraction aims to extend the city’s tourist season and turn it into a year-round destination.