- Title: AUSTRIA: NATIVITY SCENE MADE ENTIRELY OF ICE GRACES THE MOUNTAIN PROVINCE OF GRAZ
- Date: 28th November 2003
- Summary: (L!3)GRAZ, AUSTRIA (NOVEMBER 28, 2003) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARTIST CHIPPING ICE MAN AND WOMAN LOOKING ON ORGANISER GERT J. HOEDL WORKING ON THE STATUE OF MARY STATUE OF MARY VLADIMIR ZHIKHARTSEV FROM ALASKA WORKING ON THE STATUE OF JOSEPH JOSEPH'S FACE PEOPLE WATCHING IN THE RAIN. STAR BEING LOWERED FROM CRANE ON TOP OF ICEBASE OF THE NATIVITY SCENE (SOUNDBITE)(GERMAN) GERT J. HOEDL, ORGANISER, SAYING: "This year I'm building the ice crib for the eighth time here in Graz. In 1996 it was built here for the first time, this ice crib is the only one world wide in these dimensions and size. I've got 45 tons of ice altogether. The speciality this year is the huge ice blocks we are us ing, 60 x 70 x 200 centimetres. One block weighs 1,250 kilograms. That means we had to have special logistics. I'm happy to be able to do it again in Graz." ONE OF THE KINGS' FACES MORE OF ICE CHIPPING JOSEPH, MARY AND BABY JESUS MARY'S FACE JOSEPH'S FACE TWO WOMEN WATCHING CHILDREN WATCHING THE ICE CRIB AT NIGHT
- Embargoed: 13th December 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GRAZ, AUSTRIA
- City:
- Country: Austria
- Topics: Arts,General,Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA4EKTWKXPTPTKN5LVV5HS832CI
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: An unusual Christmas decoration is gracing the Austrian city of Graz, in the mountain province of Styria, every winter since 1996 -- the nativity scene made entirely out of ice.
The traditional crib scene which is created each year in the Austrian city of Graz is this year chiselled out of unusually large blocks of ice , weighing a total of 45 tonnes.
The blocks weigh about two-and-a-half tonnes each and had to be cut in half during construction, explained Gert J. Hoedl, artist and organiser of the event for the last eight years. The size should guarantee a longer shelf-life for the sculpture.
Ice artists came from as far as Alaska and Finland to help Mr. Hoedl carve the the 45 tones of ice into a Nativity scene which is believed to be the largest of its type in the world.
In recent years, organisers have been faced with thawing temperatures around Christmas. In order to be prepared for the worst, the artists will create a second set of figures to be stored in a deep freeze.
The scene, which could survive until well into February if temperatures stay low, will form an ideal background for a number of advent events at the Graz' Landhaushof. The city is spending around 350,000 Euro on pre-Christmas events this year. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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