What is circular, dazzling white and in the summer gone? The Urlaubsiglu! You can book it like a hotel room, or build yourself. DW-Reporter Tankred Gugisch, got married and built.
We are extra early start from Munich and are stuck now. My son Scott and I have a date on the Zugspitze – and now this. “Yes, go on!”, we become attached to – but where there’s a will, there is at the Moment no way. Saturday 11 p.m., the car, the Eibsee cable car is Packed, the mood behind the misted-up Windows little vacation. Ten minutes later, the Anger is forgotten: The Zugspitze welcomes us with beautiful weather. The minute the clouds to break and release the view over the white peaks, to Austria to Italy and Switzerland.
Scott and I to taxes on something deeper Igloo village on the Zugspitze Platt, which is built here every Winter as a Hotel for paying customers. The Igloo complex consists of several rooms, corridors, and a great Restaurant made of snow. A little off today, our Igloo is to be built, classically in the Inuit-style snow stones. Single location – very romantic. As a “Love Nest” he will be a later book about the Igloo-village. A snow block is great as a Garage ready to be measured, and blocks sawn.
Stone on stone: Without the proper snow of the classic Igloo-building.
So according to physical work, I am however still not in the mood, because up here you have saved on the oxygen. 2700 meters of altitude, because it’s hard to Breathe. So I’m glad when Jan Wernet join us. The chief of the Igloo-village in front of the two experienced helpers, Wolfgang Rainer, and Michael Elstner, then himself. “I’m Jan,” he says friendly, and explained the plan for the day. The theory saves me a few breaths before the practice. We will all work together to build an Igloo, and Scott and I want to learn how it works – that much is clear.
Every beginning is snow
First of all, we learn: Everything stands or falls with the snow, it needs plenty of it. In order to turn the white powder into stable blocks, use professionals like Jan and his architect Wolfgang heavy equipment – a snow blower. You blow in a jiffy with our building materials in a Formwork, and deprives him at the same time, the air. The Rest of the rules of time and gravity. The snow is compacted.
A big thing: the snow looks when he comes out of the mold.
Who does not have a snow blower, comes with muscle-power to its destination. Then it means that the snow stamp. Frau Holle was a hard worker, and the snow is nice and compact and easy to grip, can be operated directly from the “Depot” on the floor.
Rule number two: a sense of proportion it takes in the choice of the place. A snow stone is heavy, 30 pounds. The path between the bearing and the Igloo building site, therefore, should be as short as possible. Our space deserves to be architects are the envy of every Igloo. We are perched on a hill, the snow-Depot in grip width, the mountain of the world for peace of mind all around. So the Toil is fun.
Going To marked the start of construction, a stick in the ground with the center of the later Dwelling, a simple string attached to it replaced all of the math. Inside size, Form, and also the subsequent inclination of the dome – all with this rotary knitting on the rod measured. Should not be slipping he.
Stone for stone to the Igloo
Snow-block by snow-block, we heave to the right place. Up to 80 cm long, 30 cm high and deep. Chef Jan has you cut with the chainsaw from the compacted snow, inventors Wolfgang fits you meticulously in the Igloo Ring. The lateral edges of the stones are beveled with a snow saw, so that the next Block can be accurately placed. What remains, in spite of fine work on the gaps will be sealed from both sides with the snow. The ideal Job for a laborer – Scott and me.
The Igloo is growing: The input is built to last.
The Surprise comes with the second snow, stone-layer. As the second number is the stones, now slightly tilted, takes Wolfgang to the saw and destroyed our work. At least in part. It uses the highest stone and a walk around saw the snow the entire round in a spiral to the bottom. From the last stone and half remains hardly any left. It is a sad sight. But as it is a see, this destruction follows a higher Plan and is obviously necessary for stability during construction.
So it goes, layer by layer: stones customize, spiral cut, new layer remains until only a small hole to the sky. When you Insert the final stone, which is brought from the inside in the final Form, it has already become dark. The or output for the Igloo-indoor worker Wolfgang is dug deep in the night through the snow.
The final touch
At the end of Majesty, it is beautiful. The next day, the construction is polished to a high gloss, also from the inside so that no water of unwanted edges are added dropwise. Guests who book the “Love Nest” in the future, will be satisfied. Because in the book it is now, at the Igloo village on the Zugspitze. Cost point: 259 to 299 Euro per Person and night.
A round thing: This Igloo is now habitable!
Who want to build on the Zugspitze with its very own “Love Nest”, it is best to ask the operator of the Igloo-village. This is also true for the case that you want to book a course in Igloo building what may just be worthwhile with friends. Elsewhere in the Alps is possible in the Igloo villages in Engelberg and Zermatt in Switzerland, for example. The costs are, however, still slightly higher. Posted the most deals can be made online or by phone. Better deals, for Igloo-building in the lower altitude, there are, for example, in the Allgäu region and in the province of Styria. And finally, the native garden remains as a cost-effective soil – enough snow provided.
Scott and I are glad that we were assigned for this night on the Zugspitze is a ready-to-snow Palace in the Igloo Hotel, in addition to hot beef broth and cheese Fondue are included for all guests included in the price. We served in the large Restaurant-Bar – a kind of Mega-Igloo, the determined can accommodate up to 50 people. A long snow corridor leads from here to the rooms. And so we go to sleep, finally, at 0 degrees, gorgeous, hot, wrapped in the provided extreme sleeping bag.