This year marks five years since Norway’s first and only indoor ski arena opened in Lørenskog, just outside Oslo. Now, SNØ has completed its biggest product development since the beginning, building the world’s largest indoor snow castle.

"We’re now moving from being a ski resort to becoming a complete destination for a much wider range of snow experiences. We will still be a place for alpine and cross-country skiers, but we also aim to grow as a tourist destination, a place where people can enjoy the snow without skis. We strongly believe the snow castle will attract many new visitors, both from Norway and abroad" says Ole Christian Mork, CEO of SNØ.

The snow castle is designed and built by Shapecrew, a Norwegian company with over 20 years of experience in the snow industry. They specialize in snow constructions of all kinds — from snowboard parks and jumps to event areas and snow castles, like this one at SNØ.

The castle is made from 400 tons of pure snow and spans three floors. It measures 30 meters in length, 13 meters in width, and features snow walls up to four meters high. Inside the castle, visitors will find two ice slides, three tunnels, climbing ropes, a climbing wall, a balance beam, and several lookout points. Here, you can slide, climb, and run around in snowy surroundings — right in the middle of the indoor snow arena, with the ski slope and ice climbing wall just next door.

"We built the castle to create a fun experience for both children and adults. Most of the visitors will probably be kids, but we also plan to use the castle for events and corporate visits", says Mork.

For ShapeCrew, the project has been truly special.
"This is the largest castle we’ve ever made, and it’s the first time we’ve built one indoors using snow. It’s been a challenge to produce enough snow because it needs to be as fresh as possible. Building a snow castle like this is not common in such projects, and in other countries, they are usually made of ice. But snow makes it much more comfortable to move around inside the castle, and of course, it had to be built this way since the ski arena is actually called SNØ" says Jean Moe, CMO of ShapeCrew.

Visit Oslo has high hopes for the new snow castle.
"This is such a fun new development! A snow castle designed for families with children offers visitors a real winter experience, without needing to ski or pack full winter gear in their suitcase. It’s a low-threshold, playful, and unique activity that’s perfect for visitors who want to experience the snow and do something truly special while in Oslo" says Thea Gunnes, Head of Communications and Marketing at VisitOSLO.

Entrance to the snow castle costs between 135 and 165 NOK, depending on the day and time of day. It will be free for parents accompanying children. The castle will be open from Tuesday to Thursday from 16:00 to 20:00, and from 10:00 to 17:00 on weekends.