History Natures Ice Palace

Discovery of the Nature Ice Palace by chance by Roman Erler

Research and survey work; 1^st stage of expansion

Opening of the Nature Ice Palace as a tourist attraction

At that time, you still needed climbing equipment and crampons to visit the Nature Ice Palace, because you had to abseil and climb ladders up to 6 m high.

Open brochure

To the video

first small tour; 2^nd stage of expansion

It was now possible to start the sightseeing tour with hiking or ski boots.

Completion of 1st tour with legendary figure „Tuxer Riese“ by sculptor Leonhard Tipotsch

New entrance at Tuxer Riese

Opening ceremony and blessing of the ice chapel: mass with dean Edi Niederwieser, Ginzlinger children's choir and Tuxer Weißenbläser; Speakers: Willi Schneeberger (TVB chairman), Hermann Erler (mayor), Dipl. Ing. Otto Gasser (Austrian Federal Forests)

Drift to the east, discovery of the glacier lake

Dispatch Reuters:
The news agency Reuters published a report in 2011, which was shown in many media: e.g. New York Times, China Daily, International Business Times, picture gallery on Reuters.com,

Skiarea Test Summer Award 2011: Innovation Award for Science and Culture 2011

Intensive development work, as well as event „Piano on ice“
Article Heimatstimme

"Tiroler - Kaiserjägerstollen", a parallel passage to the ice lake was opened

Start of manual excavation of the vertical research shaft and discovery of a natural cavity at 10 meters shaft depth. Discovery of a second natural cavity in the research shaft at a depth of 26 meters.

This cavity was filled with water and pressurized air, causing a fountain to shoot up several meters after drilling. After the phenomenon subsided, the water at the bottom of the shaft was about three meters high and had to be pumped out in order to continue the excavation work. Impressive ice crystals were found in the drained cavity.

Completion of Bergschrundblickgang;
3^rd expansion stage

January 2014 - World record in the Nature Ice Palace.

Reaching the bottom of the research shaft and thus the glacier bed at a depth of 52 meters, thus creating the deepest artificial shaft in a glacier worldwide.

Receipt of the official permit to allow inflatable boating on the glacier lake.

We are thus since 2015 the highest navigation company in Europe. 😉

Discovery of another larger cavity - the Anniversery Hall

Excavation of the access to the Anniversery hall and connection with existing system; 4^th stage of expansion

Extensive service work: the man-made corridors were reworked and increased in height and width

Excavation of a tunnel to reach the foundations of glacier bus 3 at a depth of approx. 20 m

Time-consuming maintenance work

Creation of a connecting tunnel in the middle of the Anniversery Hall

Development and planning of a new visitor guidance concept

Research work in the west system

New concept with new tour offers is launched

5^th expansion stage

Maintenance work and research

A plan of the natures ice palace, created by Tabea Gaugler as part of her diploma thesis on the Nature Ice Palace, can be found here:
Open floor plan as PDF