Amelio Mazzella from Regnella, Naples Bruno Cappelletti, from Castelnuovo Valsugana, Trentino and Pieritalo Torri from Carrara, Tuscany: these are the sculptors that will take part in the construction of the Pink Ice Hotel in Macugnaga, the first all Italian Ice Hotel. All three artists are members of the Italian Association of Ice Sculptors, whose President-founder is Amelio Mazzella.

The idea, promoted by the Macugnaga Council, the Monterosa Star Society, the Verbania Cusio Ossola Province Lake and Valley Tourist District, will get underway on Saturday 14th February in the Burki area, mid-way chair lift station that leads to the Belvedere glacier, at the foot of the eastern walls of Monte Rosa.

The first phase will see the creation of an igloo of about 54m2 in surface, made from about 170 tonnes of snow and ice. Inside the structure there will be a small bar, a sculpture exhibition and a bedroom all cooly illuminated by neon lights.

This year the hotel will just be in experimental phase, whereas next winter`s version will be much more complicated, and will constitute the first Italian Ice hotel here in Macugnaga. To create this "building" a whopping 700/800 tonnes of ice and snow will be moved.

Thanks to this creation the Anzaschian resort will be able to offer tourists the suggestive experience of a night in an ice hotel. This experience will be found only in Ossola and it is thanks to the specific environmental conditions in Macugnaga and one which is well inserted in the cultural and environmental tourism objectives of the District and Province.

This initial phase will also have social connotations, which originates thanks to a collaboration formed last year between the Macugnaga Council and Doctor Corrado Cattrini, who has for years been involved in helping inhabitans of a Brazilian shanty town (the aim is to build a school canteen). Proceeds from visits to the Burki igloo will, for now be entirely given to the MAIS association chiared by Doctor Cattrini himself.