ICEHOTEL Sweden

THE CIRCLE OF ICE

Every year, when Torne River turns to ice, a new Icehotel is created in the small village of Jukkasjärvi in the north of Sweden. The ice of the river transforms to design and architecture – an ephemeral art project and the world’s first, and largest hotel built of snow and ice.

200 km north of the Arctic Circle, Sweden, the majestic Torne River winds through ancient mountains and deep forests, to the small village of Jukkasjärvi. One of the last untouched rivers in Europe, she generously lends us pristine natural ice as she hibernates on her journey to the coast. In spring, the sun melts artwork and returns our loan.

Icehotel has been reborn in a new guise every year since 1989, when we first built the art exhibition of ice and snow that was to become a kind of hotel the world had never seen before.

Icehotel opened in 1989 and is beside a hotel also an art exhibition with ever-changing art out of ice and snow. Icehotel Winter is created in a new guise every year, completely made out of natural ice from Torne River, one of Sweden’s national rivers and last untouched waters. When the winter hotel has melted back into the river in the spring, Icehotel 365 remains – a place where visitors can experience the ice and snow year-round, with 18 suites of ice and snow.

Enjoy the ephemeral art once more and meet our designers, artists and dear friends throughout the years.