The Bavarian municipality will build a church of snow for the winter

Berlin - The Bavarian municipality of Mitterfirmiansreut, located just a short distance from the Czech border, is preparing an unconventional attraction for its residents and visitors this winter - a church made of snow. The well-known ski resort on the German side of the Šumava Mountains wants to commemorate the construction of the first snow sanctuary in the village a hundred years ago.
    In the winter of 1911, so much snow fell here that the people from the mountain village could not get to the church in nearby Mauth. Therefore, they built their own using the material that was then more abundant than they liked. Following the example of the cathedral in Passau, they created a snow dome 14 meters long, seven meters wide, and almost four meters high, with two towers, photographs of which even made it into American magazines at the time.
    To mark the hundredth anniversary of this event, enthusiasts in Mitterfirmiansreut decided to repeat the original piece of their ancestors, but in a more modern rendition. The new, futuristically designed church will be 26 meters long and 11 meters wide. Its centerpiece will be a 17-meter tall tower with a cross. According to estimates, the construction will require 1100 tons of snow and ice. Inside, it will offer approximately 190 standing places.
    Its grand opening is planned for December 17. As in every church, weekly services will be held in this white temple, complemented by a suitably cold cultural program. On Christmas Eve, for instance, the organizers are preparing the creation of a nativity scene made of snow, and at the end of January, it will be adorned with an exhibition of ice sculptures.
    How long this sanctuary will remain standing will depend entirely on the weather. Its predecessor in 1911 lasted from the end of March until May.