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Winter Wonderland: Thousands flock to see Chinese city made entirely from ICE

  • Fireworks light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the International Ice and Snow festival held in Harbin, north-east China. Each of the buildings you can see in the distance is made of ice. (PA)
    1/18

    Fireworks are set off during the opening ceremony of the International Ice and Snow festival. (PA)

    Fireworks light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the International Ice and Snow festival held in Harbin, north-east China. Each of the buildings you can see in the distance is made of ice. (PA)
    PA
  • Visitors gathered to see the unique buildings in north-eastern China's Heilongjiang province, when the festival opened on Thursday. (PA)
    2/18

    Visitors gathered to see the unique buildings in northeastern China's Heilongjiang province, when the festival opened on Thursday. (PA)

    Visitors gathered to see the unique buildings in north-eastern China's Heilongjiang province, when the festival opened on Thursday. (PA)
    PA
  • Visitors walk up stairs made from ice for the annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. (PA)
    3/18

    Visitors walk up stairs made from ice for the annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. (PA)

    Visitors walk up stairs made from ice for the annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. (PA)
    PA
  • The theme for this year's Ice and Snow World was 'Global Ice and Snow Dream, World Cartoon Tour'. (PA)
    4/18

    The theme for this year's Ice and Snow World was 'Global Ice and Snow Dream, World Cartoon Tour'. (PA)

    The theme for this year's Ice and Snow World was 'Global Ice and Snow Dream, World Cartoon Tour'. (PA)
    PA
  • Fireworks explode while Chinese dancers performing on a hill covered in snow during the opening ceremony. (PA)
    5/18

    Fireworks explode while Chinese dancers performing on a snow hill during the opening ceremony. (PA)

    Fireworks explode while Chinese dancers performing on a hill covered in snow during the opening ceremony. (PA)
    PA
  • Tourists take photos of the spectacular landscapes, which include rows of trees decked out in colourful lights. (PA)
    6/18

    Tourists take photos of the spectacular landscapes, which include rows of colourful trees. (PA)

    Tourists take photos of the spectacular landscapes, which include rows of trees decked out in colourful lights. (PA)
    PA
  • The spectacular ice city is lit up in different colours. (Imaginechina/REX)
    7/18

    The spectacular ice city is lit up in different colours in Harbin, north-eastern China. (Imaginechina/REX)

    The spectacular ice city is lit up in different colours. (Imaginechina/REX)
  • Workers add the finishing touches to a giant snow sculpture, which features turrets and a dome. (Reuters)
    8/18

    Workers add the finishing touches to a giant snow sculpture, which was built with turrets and a dome. (Reuters)

    Workers add the finishing touches to a giant snow sculpture, which features turrets and a dome. (Reuters)
  • Two glimmering ice sculptures - which resemble traditional Chinese architecture - tower over visitors in Harbin. (Imaginechina/REX)
    9/18

    Two glimmering ice sculptures - which resemble traditional Chinese architecture - tower over visitors in Harbin. (Imaginechina/REX)

    Two glimmering ice sculptures - which resemble traditional Chinese architecture - tower over visitors in Harbin. (Imaginechina/REX)
  • Hopefully it won't melt! The sun sets near an ice castle before the opening of the ice and snow festival. (PA)
    10/18

    Hopefully it won't melt! A sun sets near an ice castle before the opening of the ice and snow festival. (PA)

    Hopefully it won't melt! The sun sets near an ice castle before the opening of the ice and snow festival. (PA)
    PA
  • A worker pours water onto ice cubes to make them stick to each other as he builds a sculpture. The weather in Harbin is influenced by the cold wind from Siberia. At this time of year the temperature typically ranges between -10C to -20C - ideal conditions for an ice festival. (Reuters)
    11/18

    A worker pours water onto ice cubes to make them stick to each other as he builds a sculpture. The weather in Harbin is influenced by the cold wind from Siberia. At this time of year the temperature typically ranges between -10C to -20C - ideal conditions for an ice festival. (Reuters)

    A worker pours water onto ice cubes to make them stick to each other as he builds a sculpture. The weather in Harbin is influenced by the cold wind from Siberia. At this time of year the temperature typically ranges between -10C to -20C - ideal conditions for an ice festival. (Reuters)
  • At night the stunning snow sculptures are lit up by coloured lights. This is the 30th anniversary of the festival. (Imaginechina/REX)
    12/18

    At night the stunning snow sculptures are lit up by coloured lights. This is the 30th anniversary of the festival. (Imaginechina/REX)

    At night the stunning snow sculptures are lit up by coloured lights. This is the 30th anniversary of the festival. (Imaginechina/REX)
  • The remarkable festival takes up an area of 750,000 square metres, and requires about 180,000 cubic metres of ice and 150,000 cubic metres of snow to produce the astonishing sculptures. (Reuters)
    13/18

    The remarkable festival takes up an area of 750,000 square metres, and requires about 180,000 cubic metres of ice and 150,000 cubic metres of snow to produce the astonishing sculptures. (Reuters)

    The remarkable festival takes up an area of 750,000 square metres, and requires about 180,000 cubic metres of ice and 150,000 cubic metres of snow to produce the astonishing sculptures. (Reuters)
  • An icy palace is constructed in Harbin with the help of a crane and thousands of workers. (Reuters)
    14/18

    An icy palace is constructed in Harbin with the help of a crane and thousands of workers. (Reuters)

    An icy palace is constructed in Harbin with the help of a crane and thousands of workers. (Reuters)
  • Workers continue to add the finishing touches to the sculptures before thousands of tourists descend on the festival when the ice city fully opens in early January. (Wang Kai/REX)
    15/18

    Workers continue to add the finishing touches to the sculptures before thousands of tourists descend on the festival when the ice city fully opens in early January. (Wang Kai/REX)

    Workers continue to add the finishing touches to the sculptures before thousands of tourists descend on the festival when the ice city fully opens in early January. (Wang Kai/REX)
  • Winter wonderland: A gleaming yellow spire of ice stands proud among dozens of other sculptures. The park partially opens after Christmas once 80 per cent of the sculptures are completed. The grand opening is on January 4. (Imaginechina/REX)
    16/18

    Winter wonderland: A gleaming yellow spire of ice stands proud among dozens of other sculptures. The park partially opens after Christmas once 80 per cent of the sculptures are completed. The grand opening is on January 4. (Imaginechina/REX)

    Winter wonderland: A gleaming yellow spire of ice stands proud among dozens of other sculptures. The park partially opens after Christmas once 80 per cent of the sculptures are completed. The grand opening is on January 4. (Imaginechina/REX)
  • Workers stab iron pikes into the frozen Songhua River as they extract giant ice cubes. Each ice cube used to make the impressive sculptures weighs about 250 kilograms. (Reuters)
    17/18

    Workers stab iron pikes into the frozen Songhua River as they extract giant ice cubes. Each ice cube used to make the impressive sculptures weighs about 250 kilograms. (Reuters)

    Workers stab iron pikes into the frozen Songhua River as they extract giant ice cubes. Each ice cube used to make the impressive sculptures weighs about 250 kilograms. (Reuters)
  • One of the 10,000 workers employed at the Harbin Ice and Snow festival polishes a sculpture. (Reuters)
    18/18

    One of the 10,000 workers employed at the Harbin Ice and Snow festival polishes a sculpture. (Reuters)

    One of the 10,000 workers employed at the Harbin Ice and Snow festival polishes a sculpture. (Reuters)
Fireworks light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the International Ice and Snow festival held in Harbin, north-east China. Each of the buildings you can see in the distance is made of ice. (PA)
Visitors gathered to see the unique buildings in north-eastern China's Heilongjiang province, when the festival opened on Thursday. (PA)
Visitors walk up stairs made from ice for the annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. (PA)
The theme for this year's Ice and Snow World was 'Global Ice and Snow Dream, World Cartoon Tour'. (PA)
Fireworks explode while Chinese dancers performing on a hill covered in snow during the opening ceremony. (PA)
Tourists take photos of the spectacular landscapes, which include rows of trees decked out in colourful lights. (PA)
The spectacular ice city is lit up in different colours. (Imaginechina/REX)
Workers add the finishing touches to a giant snow sculpture, which features turrets and a dome. (Reuters)
Two glimmering ice sculptures - which resemble traditional Chinese architecture - tower over visitors in Harbin. (Imaginechina/REX)
Hopefully it won't melt! The sun sets near an ice castle before the opening of the ice and snow festival. (PA)
A worker pours water onto ice cubes to make them stick to each other as he builds a sculpture. The weather in Harbin is influenced by the cold wind from Siberia. At this time of year the temperature typically ranges between -10C to -20C - ideal conditions for an ice festival. (Reuters)
At night the stunning snow sculptures are lit up by coloured lights. This is the 30th anniversary of the festival. (Imaginechina/REX)
The remarkable festival takes up an area of 750,000 square metres, and requires about 180,000 cubic metres of ice and 150,000 cubic metres of snow to produce the astonishing sculptures. (Reuters)
An icy palace is constructed in Harbin with the help of a crane and thousands of workers. (Reuters)
Workers continue to add the finishing touches to the sculptures before thousands of tourists descend on the festival when the ice city fully opens in early January. (Wang Kai/REX)
Winter wonderland: A gleaming yellow spire of ice stands proud among dozens of other sculptures. The park partially opens after Christmas once 80 per cent of the sculptures are completed. The grand opening is on January 4. (Imaginechina/REX)
Workers stab iron pikes into the frozen Songhua River as they extract giant ice cubes. Each ice cube used to make the impressive sculptures weighs about 250 kilograms. (Reuters)
One of the 10,000 workers employed at the Harbin Ice and Snow festival polishes a sculpture. (Reuters)
Updated

While the U.S. shivers while in the grip of a 'polar vortex' which has seen temperatures plummet to -26C, in China they are celebrating the winter temperatures with a spectacular ice sculpture festival.
The 30th Harbin Ice and Snow Festival has now opened its doors to tourists to come and gaze at the colourful creations made entirely from blocks of ice.
The annual festival, in north-eastern China, displays the incredibly detailed structures, which took some 10,000 workers, and about 330,000 cubic metres of snow and ice to build. This year's festivities feature the theme 'Global Ice and Snow Dream, World Cartoon Tour'.