Snow castles to be built in social bubbles in Črna na Koroškem

The Castles of King Matjaž event is taking place in a different form this year because of the epidemic as organisers have urged people to take part by making sculptures and photographing them.

The event was thus extended from a three-day event to a multi-week competition. The organisers have been receiving photographs of sculptures from various materials since early January.

Slovenian participants as well as those from Croatia and Austria have decided to take part, and the interest has been so great that the collecting of photographs has been extended until February, when the best sculptures will be selected and rewarded, Črna na Koroškem Mayor Romana Lesjak told today's online press conference.

Weather permitting, snow sculptures will also be made live this Saturday, but only by locals. There is currently some 30 cm of snow in the area and artificial snow will be made as well.

The mayor expects the participants to heed Covid protocols.

Rain or shine, King Matjaž, a mythical figure, will make a grand entrance by going down the nearby zipline at approximately 10am to sit on his new throne, made of wood by the local Franci Knez.

Črna na Koroškem also anticipates the online arrival of a photograph of a snow castle made by its twin city Harbin in China. The annual ice and snow sculpture festival is currently held in Harbin and if there were no pandemic, the Slovenian town would host a delegation from the Chinese city, said Lesjak, who last year visited Harbin.