More than just snowmen or forts in your backyard, here are 22 exceptional snow sculptures from around the world.
SNOW HAS THE POWER to completely transform a landscape; it’s an almost magical moment to look out the window and see your world covered in white. Snow can itself be transformed into works of art, temporary of course, but dazzling in spite of, or perhaps because of their temporary nature. 
Feature image: Irish Typepad.
Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
Ice Dinosaurs are a centerpiece from the 2004 Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan. The annual festival attracts around 2 million visitors.Photo: Starfires
Largest Snow Sculpture
"Romantic Feelings" measured 115 feet high and 656 feet long. It was built for China's 2008 Harbin Ice and Snow Festival (Daily Mail). Photo: EmmaJG
Inuit Snow Sculpture
A bit of India in China at the 2008 Harbin Snow FestivalPhoto: StrudelMonkey
Japanese Ice Sculpture
Japanese warrior snow sculpture from the 2006 Air Canada Snow Sculpture Challenge in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada.Photo: Yukon White Light
Taj Mahal in Snow
Sculpture of the Taj Mahal guarded by a turbaned man at the Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido, Japan. Photo: Starfires
Breckenridge Snow Sculpture
Man and totem at the 2009 Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado.Photo: future15pic
Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
Touching up a sculpture at the 2010 Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China.Photo: Irish Typepad
Native American snow sculpture
A Native American looking tired but happy at the 2007 Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China.Photo: harryalverson
Sapporo Snow Sculpture
Owls and birds of prey at the 2009 Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido, Japan. Photo: Clifford DMello
Harbin Snow Festival
A castle just isn't a castle without some nudity at the 2008 Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China.Photo: StrudelMonkey
Snowy Fingers
Giant, disembodied snowy hand from 2007 in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Photo: Harvard Avenue
Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
Snow train at the 2009 Harbin Ice and Snow festival.Photo: frankartculinary
Lego Ice Sculpture
Lego man in Quebec City, Canada from 2010.Photo: eytonz
Japanese Ice Sculpture
Elaborate details in the "National Treasure Inuyama Castle" at the 2008 Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan.Photo: Christopher Chan
Harbin 2010 snow sculpture
Tyger, tyger, burning bright. 2010 Harbin Snow and Ice Festival in China.Photo: eastisrelative
Breckenridge Snow Sculpture
2007's winning snow sculpture in Breckenridge, Colorado. Photo: Chris Adams
Scuba Snow Sculpture
Snorkeling in the snow in Anchorage, Alaska at the annual Fur Rondy Festival. It's a 75+ year tradition that celebrates the miners and trappers of Alaska.Photo: Troy B Thompson
Breckendridge Snow Sculpture
"Butterfly Lovers" from Chinese legend - two lovers who turned into butterflies after committing suicide. A dark story, but a beautiful sculpture at the 2005 Breckenridge Snow Sculpture Festival.Photo: Adventures in Librarianship
Japanese Snow Sculpture
A mother bear and her cub at the 2010 Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan.Photo: David McKelvey
Chinese Snow Sculpture
A truly international competition in 2010 at the Harbin Snow and Ice Festival China.Photo: Ivan Walsh
Roller Coaster Snow Sculpture
Hang on! Team USA's entry for the 2009 Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships.Photo: david_shankbone
Inuit Snow Sculpture
An Inuit family in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at the 2010 US Nationals Snow Sculpting Competition.Photo: r.darkjoy
Kristin Conard
Kristin Conard is an editor at Matador Nights as well as a writing instructor in California. As a child, she wanted to be a librarian, because she thought that the librarian was the one who got to write all the books in the library. Her obsession with reading and writing has continued, and when she is not grading papers and lesson planning, she is working on a collection of essays and planning her next trip.
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