Tradition: bishop's green giant snowman smiles in any weather

Excavators, telescopic handlers, shovels, boards for the formwork: the helpers have been building the giant snowman in Bischofsgrün since the morning hours.

Tradition: bishop's green giant snowman smiles in any weather

Excavators, telescopic handlers, shovels, boards for the formwork: the helpers have been building the giant snowman in Bischofsgrün since the morning hours. In the afternoon the hat was already enthroned on giant snowman "Jakob". The volunteers who build the huge snow sculpture in the middle of the Franconian town year after year shortly before carnival defied the uncomfortable weather on Friday: fog and wind instead of winter sun.

Tons of snow lay in the market square when work began. The body and head of the snowman were first covered, later followed by the huge hat and a scarf as decoration - and the snowman was given a friendly, smiling face. "Things went very well," said Wilhelm Zapf from the Bischofsgrün tourist information office.

In 1985, a giant snowman was erected in Bischofsgrün (Bayreuth district) for the first time. The idea came about in a relaxed gathering of some local residents. It soon became a tradition for the carnival season. The largest snowman to date was built in 2015 - at a height of 12.65 meters. "Jakob" is allowed to stand still until the rain, mild temperatures or the spring sun melt him.

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