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The Tatra Teple of Ice is entering its fourteenth season. This time, the central theme of this unique ice structure in Hrebienok is the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi.
In 2026, the world will commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of a man who renounced wealth to live a life of poverty, peace, and love for all creation. This moment was decisive in choosing the main theme for the 14th annual Tatra Ice Dome.
The dominant feature is an ice sculpture of the monumental Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi, which took a hundred years to build; it is one of the largest churches in the Christian world and, along with Assisi, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the front, the view is dominated by the monumental facade topped with statues. On the left side, visitors will find an ice nativity scene, a reminder of Christmas 1223, when Francis first set up a manger in Greccio.“The most precious site is hidden at the rear of the building. Here stands the tiny Porziuncola—originally a small stone chapel that St. Francis found abandoned and repaired with his own hands. This very place is considered the cradle of the Franciscans. Even in its ice form, it forms the heart of the entire basilica. Inside,itspreciousaltarpieceisalso crafted fromice and colored glass. Next to the Porziuncolastandsthe Crossof St. Damian,which,according totradition,spoketoFrancis.Theentire ice“You canwalk all the way aroundthe basilicaandexplore it fromeveryangle,” said Lukáš Brodanský, project manager of the Tatra Ice Dome.
Pax et bonum – Peace and Goodness
This Latin greeting, carved into the ice, has been associated with the Franciscans for eight centuries. It stems from the words of St. Francis himself, who wrote in his Testament that the Lord revealed to him the greeting, “May the Lord give you peace.” To this day, the Franciscans use it to greet everyone they meet. The authors also extend this wish for peace and all that is good to all visitors to the cathedral.
The First Nativity Scene
The tradition of nativity scenes began with St. Francis himself. On Christmas Eve in 1223, he set up a manger filled with hay in a cave in Greccio, Italy, and brought an ox and a donkey to it. From that night, a tradition was born that has spread throughout the world—a tradition to which the Tatra Ice Nativity Scene also belongs. It also serves as an invitation to the traditional nativity scene at Rainer’s Cabin, which cabin keeper Peter Petras builds out of snow every year.
Portrait of Saint Francis Carved into the ice is the likeness of Saint Francis, the son of a wealthy merchant from Assisi, who renounced his wealth and chose a life of poverty. He was canonized just two years after his death. He is the founder of the Franciscans, the patron saint of Italy, and, since 1979, also the patron saint of ecology.
The Largest Ice Structure in the Cathedral’s History
The basilica at Hrebienok was built from 2,000 ice blocks weighing 250 metric tons. This means that more ice was used in its construction than ever before in the history of the Tatra Ice Dome. Under the direction of lead artist Adam Bakoš, 40 sculptors and assistants from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Germany worked on the project. The structure’s highest point reaches nearly 11 meters.
The Tatra Teple of Ice by the Numbers and facts
11 m – the highest point of the structure
11 – the number of planned concerts and performances
25 m – dome diameter
40 sculptors and assistants from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Germany
250 metric tons of ice—the most in the arena’s history
2,000 ice blocks
Lead author: Adam Bakoš
Concept: Mons. Prof. ThDr. PaedDr. SSLic. František Trstenský, PhD., and Mgr. Lukáš Brodanský
The Tatra Ice Dome will welcome visitors from November 13, 2026, through April 18, 2027. Admission is free.
Photo credit: ©Marek Hajkovský
