The Harbin festival of ice and snow

5 January in the Chinese city of Harbin officially opened the largest international festival of ice and snow. Huge replicas of world famous buildings, a gigantic 240-metre-high roller coaster, churches and pagodas and millions of tourists. The festival will last until the end of February.

Huge snow-ice city around the clock to build each year about 10 000 people. This time of year the temperature is usually from −10C to −20C — ideal conditions for creating ice sculptures.