First ice palace

The world's first palace made entirely of ice was commissioned by Anna Ivanovna, Empress of Russia, in St Petersburg, Russia, during the winter of 1739–40. Architect Piotr Eropkin and scientist Georg Wolfgang Kraft constructed the ice palace from massive ice blocks fixed together with frozen water. Measuring 16 m (52.5 ft) long, 5 m (16.4 ft) wide and 6 m (19.7 ft) high, Anna Ivanovna's ice palace contained a living-room, dining-room, bedroom and toilet as well as a bed, sofas, chairs, table, fireplace, clock, mirrors, statues and wine glasses – all made of ice. The city of St Petersburg now recreates the original ice palace every winter.