People like to display their art — and they will use almost any medium to create artistic displays. You’ve likely seen sand castles at the beach in the summer that are so elaborate that they could be rental property. In winter time, this is no different, and people use ice and snow to express their creative aspirations.

At a time of year when animals hibernate and people hunker down by a fire with hot chocolate or more potent potables, many flout the bitter cold and daunting snowfalls to use what nature provides them to create eyebrow-arching snowmen and intricately detailed ice sculptures.

24/7 Wall St. drew on websites displaying amazing ice sculptures at competitions in various countries, newspaper photos of over-the-top snowmen and ice sculptures, travel stories on ice hotels, and family photos of cold-weather creations to develop a list of the most outrageous snowmen and ice sculptures.

The sad reality for snowmen, ice sculptures, and ice hotels is their brief existence, so enjoy them while you can.

Click here to see the full list of the 50 most outrageous snowmen and ice sculptures.
Click here to see our methodology.

1. 4 (ever) Wheels Reflection
> Location: Sweden

This sculpture is a concept of our relationship with cars, as imagined by a Swedish team that won second place at the 2017 International Snow Sculpture Championships in Colorado.

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2. Breath Of Life
> Location: United States

One of the U.S. entries in the 2017 World Ice Art Championships is an interpretation of man versus wild.

3. Buzz Lightyear
> Location: N/A

To infinity and beyond … until the springtime.

4. Carriage of Gold
> Location: The Netherlands

A fantastically detailed sculpture of a full passenger carriage takes us back to a simpler time.

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5. Doctor Who
> Location: United States

Something tells us that this snowman isn’t sentient, but he wouldn’t confirm or deny.

6. Double Bass
> Location: Gelio, Norway

This instrument was crafted from ice hours before the artist took to center stage to perform for a crowd of festival goers.

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7. Eagle
> Location: N/A

America’s symbol of freedom took the ice world under its extravagantly detailed wings.

8. Fantasy Ride
> Location: United States

This sculpture of a woman riding a mythical beast was created using a single block of ice.

9. Fiery Fairy Tale
> Location: Russia

This abstract Russian submission at the 2017 World Ice Art Championships in Alaska depicts young children in a fairytale setting.

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10. Free Bird
> Location: Russia

After winning the Artists Choice & Facebook People’s Choice Award at the 2017 World Ice Art Championships, Russia’s Free Bird entry is now qualified for the 2018 Olympics.

11. Freedom
> Location: Latvia

A child emerges after breaking free from his mask in this Russian exhibit at the International Ice Sculpture Festival in Latvia.

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12. Geisha
> Location: Japan

While this carving of the traditional Japanese entertainer may not be able to sing, the beautiful homage is just as delicate.

13.Giant praying mantis
> Location: United States

This praying mantis won’t stalk you like its original, but the details are just as striking.

14. Griffin and angel
> Location: United States

A griffin is the symbolic guardian of priceless possessions, so an angel going to war against one can be perceived as purity versus greed.

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15. Harp
> Location: Norway

This artist at Norway’s Ice Music Festival plays a harp crafted from ice.

16. Heat Of Big Cities
> Location: Russia

This marvelous image crafted by a Russian team that depicts a sea creature surrounding a city won fifth place at the 2017 World Ice Art Championships.

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17. Heli-Huck
> Location: United States

Thanks to this American submission at the 2017 World Ice Art Championships you can literally see a skier frozen in time.

18. Hitchhiking Snowmen
> Location: United States

Somebody tell these hitchhikers their best bet to catch a ride is with an Uber.

19.Hotel de Glace
> Location: Quebec City, Canada

Guests can stay in one of 44 rooms built entirely of ice in Quebec’s award-winning Hotel de Glace for a limited time during the winter.

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20. I Believe We Can
> Location: Croatia

Croatia’s submission in the 2017 World Ice Art Championships depicts a fantastic sight that is open to personal interpretation.

21. Ice castle
> Location: Harbin, China

This colorful castle in Harbin’s yearly Snow and Ice Festival is reminiscent of historical extravagance.

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22. Ice and snow church
> Location: Harbin, China

A massive church 46 meters high with colors ranging the spectrum was constructed just for the 2014 Snow and Ice Festival in China.

23. Ice spirit
> Location: Harbin, China

The massive sculpture of a religious icon in China showcases the level of detail that the Ice and Snow Festival of Harbin strives for.

24. Ice wonderland
> Location: Harbin, China

The massive castle resembling a scene out of a Disney movie truly makes the Snow and Ice Festival a winter wonderland.

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25. Jabba the Snowman
> Location: United States

Unlike young Luke Skywalker, we already learned to appreciate Jabba.

26. Jester
> Location: Latvia

This incredibly detailed submission at Latvia’s International Ice Sculpture Festival depicts a jester breaking through the wall, representing someone who takes risks to enjoy life.

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27. Kabuki Theater: Spirit Of The Samurai
> Location: United States

This American submission paying homage to the Japan’s Kabuki Theater won second place in the multi block category of the World Ice Art Championships in 2017.

28. King Kong
> Location: N/A

We should never hope to encounter King Kong in our cities, but if we ever do, this detailed sculpture helps us imagine how much of a chance we would stand.

29. Leaning tower of Pisa
> Location: N/A

While this tower doesn’t sink, it will be gone by summertime.

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30. London landmarks
> Location: N/A

While these sculptures show British landmarks in all their details, it’s safe to say the queen won’t be found inside.

31. Medieval building
> Location: Harbin, China

Harbin, China is a mecca of ice sculpting, and this building at the Snow and Ice Festival is just one reason why.

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32. Mermaid
> Location: China

China’s 2017 submission for the International Snow Sculpture Championships in Colorado won gold for pushing the boundaries with its illusion of a freed mermaid swimming alongside other sea creatures.

33. Pen Pineapple Apple Pen
> Location: Japan

This sculpture is an image of Japanese comedian Piko-Taro, who rose to internet fame with his song “Pen-Pineapple, Apple-Pen.”

34. Prehistoric fish chasing person
> Location: N/A

Perhaps depicting the biblical story of Jonah and the whale, this sculpture shows a sharp-toothed prehistoric fish pursuing a person.

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35. Prisoner Snowmen
> Location: United States

These snowmen want to escape prison, but only a big melt will free them.

36. Seahorses
> Location: N/A

A beautiful underwater scene, this sculpture depicts seahorses gamboling in the water.

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37. SnowCastle of Kemi
> Location: Kemi, Finland

Condé Nast Traveler calls this the world’s largest snow fort. It has a restaurant, chapel, and ice sculptures.

38. Snowman apocalypse
> Location: Uzbekistan

The snowman apocalypse is engulfing this city in Uzbekistan.

39. Snowman Army
> Location: N/A

They aren’t that tall, but this snowman army is a force to be reckoned with, at least until spring.

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40.Snowman Slide
> Location: Lake Tahoe, USA

This giant snowman in Lake Tahoe, Nevada is also a slide. Entry to the slide is visible in front.

41. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel
> Location: Alta, Norway

The 30-room Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is located on the banks of the Alta River in Norway and claims to be the largest and northernmost ice hotel in the world.

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42. Storm Trooper
> Location: N/A

Don’t worry, this space soldier probably has the same aim as his colleagues.

43. Tallest Snowman
> Location: Bethel, Maine

The world’s tallest snowman was built in Bethel, Maine, and measured 122 feet and 1 inch. It took one month to complete the snowman on Feb. 26, 2008.

44. Tango
> Location: China

Team Russia’s Tango won the Artists Choice Award in the Single Block Division of the 2017 World Ice Art Championships in Alaska.

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45. The Colosseum
> Location: Harbin, China

This ice replica of the Colosseum in Rome on display at the Harbin Ice and Snow World festival in China.

46. Towering pagodas
> Location: Harbin, China

The towering and colorful pagodas were displayed at the Harbin Ice and Snow World festival in China.

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47. We are one family
> Location: Mongolia-Erdene

This ice sculpture was honored with a bronze award in January at the 2017 Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado.

48. Weight-Lifting
> Location: N/A

This snowman is getting ripped and you better not kick any snow in his face.

49. Wolf
> Location: N/A

This ice sculpture of a wolf looks like it’s about to come alive and leap out of its foundation.

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50. Zombie Snowmen
> Location: United States

Judging by the offerings on television, America can’t get enough of zombies. That is reflected in these zombie snowmen emerging from a graveyard.

Methodology

The objects on this list were created in cold-weather climes from all over the world, including Norway, Latvia, Canada, and China. Many of these snowmen and ice sculptures are whimsical, like a snowman lifting weights. Some are topical, such as the image of an internet sensation. Still others are magical products of creative minds, like the figure of a delicately rendered sculpture of a woman riding a mythical beast.

While the creation of snowmen requires little in the way of tools and is limited only by one’s imagination, ice sculpting is more elaborate and requires some skills.

Sculptures hewed from ice can be abstract or realistic and can be functional or just decorative. Sculptors try to use pure, clean water, which produces the best results. The time it takes to create a sculpture varies, depending on how elaborate it is. Sculpting in ice is also a challenge for sculptors because temperatures can be volatile, Sculptors use a variety of tools such as chisels, saws, and power tools to make their creations.

We also included on the list hotels created out of snow and ice that are located in North America and Europe, although these might not be extended-stay places. Ice hotels depend on prolonged sub-freezing temperatures and have to be rebuilt every year. These tony lodgings feature amenities such as saunas, ice-molded cutlery and dinnerware, views of the northern lights, and reindeer sleigh rides. These might be the only hospitality destinations where customers don’t complain about getting a room by the ice machine.

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