Get ready to meet the real-life Kristoff from Frozen! Aleksi Yllasjarvi, an ‘Ice and snow builder,’ lives in the Finnish Lapland and makes a living by harvesting blocks of ice, just like the character in the hit Disney film. But the similarities don’t end there – Aleksi’s grandmother is even named Elsa, like the film’s main character. While Elsa uses her special powers to create magical ice and snow, Aleksi relies on a chisel and a camera to fashion his own stunning ice and snow creations. He has gained quite a following on TikTok, with 64,000 followers and over 6.3 million likes for his mesmerizing videos showcasing his work and the beauty of Lapland’s snowy landscapes.
Aleksi’s main place of work is the SnowVillage hotel in Yllas, Lapland, where he utilizes the blocks of ice he harvests to create incredible sculptures, ice restaurants, ice bars, and even icy snow suites. But his talents don’t stop there – Aleksi has also worked on custom ice and snow constructions all over Finland. Some of his most notable creations, captured in his amazing videos, include a replica of the Petra Treasury in Jordan, dome-roofed villages resembling Santorini, New York’s Statue of Liberty, and even the Great Pyramid of Giza, which proved to be the most challenging.
One of the most popular creations showcased in Aleksi’s videos is an entirely frozen fishing boat, complete with a built-in fishing hole. The construction process of this ‘ice boat’ has garnered millions of views, with footage showing the boat being rowed on a lake before it splits in two. Aleksi mentioned that planning the ice boat took about an hour.
When Aleksi is not crafting sculptures or ice boats, he is busy working at the SnowVillage hotel, a massive structure made from 20 million kg of snow and 300,000 kg of ice. The hotel is rebuilt every six months with a different theme and layout. Aleksi’s role involves processing the ice into a shape resembling a sculpture, which professional sculptors then refine. He also carves ice sculptures and creates ice bars, ice slides, and ice restaurant furniture. Additionally, he creates ice sculptures and logos for various companies once the hotel construction is complete.
Building with ice comes with its challenges, the most significant being the weather. Aleksi must contend with the optimal temperature to ensure the ice is neither too slippery nor too brittle. Sculpting a single piece can take up to four months, and direct sunlight and heat pose the biggest obstacles.
Aleksi’s passion for carving snow and ice stems from a visit to a hotel made of ice and snow, where his friends worked. He applied for a job the following autumn, and his journey into the world of ice and snow began. His proudest projects include creating a stage for the band Tesseract at the Jagermeister Ice Cold Gig and a Game-of-Thrones-themed ice hotel. Despite the comparisons to Kristoff from Frozen, Aleksi takes it in stride and finds it amusing, especially since his grandmother’s name is Elsa.
To witness Aleksi’s incredible creations and experience the magic of Lapland, you can find him on TikTok @aleksiyllasjarvi and on Instagram @herrayllasjarvi.
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