Mall of America: Ice capital of the Twin Cities

For Minnesotans still yearning for more snow and cold, the new icicle wonderland at the Mall of America might be your fix. It opens Monday.

December 31, 2012 at 5:14PM
Sprinklers form the ice castle which is under consrtuction at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN on December 21, 2012.
Sprinklers formed the ice castle which opens Monday at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN on December 21, 2012. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Bring out the long underwear.

For Minnesotans still yearning for more snow and cold, the new icicle wonderland at the Mall of America might be your fix. It opens Monday.

The massive ice castle will glimmer and shimmer with thousands of LED lights at the shopping mecca, featuring several throne rooms with large ice chairs, archways and an abundance of ice towers.

Ice Castle LLC, a Colorado-based company, is calling the spectacle the largest castle it has built. All it took was 4 million gallons of water and tons of ice to fuse the 50 large towers together. There also is a play area where kids can build a snowman or play on a snow-covered hill.

Maybe you can leave the long underwear at home -- the ice castle has outdoor fire pits to keep you cozy.

The Ice Castle at the Mall of America has 50 large ice towers, the largest of which reaches more than 40 feet tall.
The Ice Castle at the Mall of America has 50 large ice towers, the largest of which reaches more than 40 feet tall. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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ALEJANDRA MATOS, Star Tribune