Eispavillon Mittelallalin

Ice Pavilion Mittelallalin - Eispavillon Saas-Fee


Useful Information

Location: On the Mittelallalin.
Near Saas-Fee.
(46.057467, 7.904853)
Open: JUN to APR daily 9-15.
[2022]
Fee: Cable car (funicular) Saas-Fee-Mittelallalin-Saas-Fee: Adults CHF 75, Children (6-15) CHF 37.50.
Group (10+): Adults CHF 60, Children 30.
Eispavillon Mittelallalin: Adults CHF 20, Children (6-15) CHF 12.
Groups (10+): Adults CHF 20, Children (6-15) CHF 12.
We recommend combo ticket cable car + ice grotto.
[2022]
Classification: Subterraneaglacier grotto
Light: electric and natural.
Dimension: A=3,500 m asl, Ar=5,500 m².
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: not wheelchair accessible
Bibliography:
Address: Eispavillon, 3906 Saas-Fee, Tel +41-27-9573560 E-mail: contact
Saastal Bergbahnen AG, Panoramastrasse 5, CH-3906 Saas-Fee, Tel. +41-27-958-1100. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History


Description

The Eispavillon is the biggest artificial ice cave of the world, built inside the Fee glacier by glaciologist Benedikt Schnyder. It is located on the Mittelallalin, below the funicular station and the revolving restaurant Allalin. A 71 m long tunnel with 120 steps leads down into the glacier, 10 m below the surface.

As this ice grotto was made by a glaciologist, it is a little different to the other ones. Of course it shows ice sculptures and the mysterious blue light when sunlight is filtered by meters of ice. But it also shows the scientific background of glaciers, how they were formed and how they are explored. Some real life scenes show glaciologist in a camp and at work. The knowledge they are after, is the climatic history of our planet Earth.

Then the importance and dangers of glaciers for mountaineering are explained. Another display in an natural crevasse of the glacier, called Bergschrund, shows how a mountaineer is rescued after an accident. There are several lookouts allowing a visit of a real ice crevasse.

And another difference to other ice grottoes are the numerous modern art sculptures on display. Huge faces, the head of a pharaoh, pinguins, the snow man and Saint Bernhard of Aosta are cut out of the ice. Most of them are in the Glaciarium, a huge circular shaped room which is used for meditation and for weddings.

Even the children will like it, as they have their own underground playing ground. The Dinosaur Tunnel offers a frozen playground including ice slides.