This is our personal favorite in this list and links to a better list in itself. A roundup of various magnificent artificial ice climbing walls around the world.
great climbing walls
Climbing walls are both functionally and aesthetically fascinating. They often have beautiful abstract shapes reminiscent of Kurt Schwitters’ Merzbau or are just plain intricate and impressive.
Included in our collection here are interactive musical climbing walls, enormous artificial ice towers, surreal climbing forms and a huge climbing wall inside a disused Texan grain silo. Vote for your faves.
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This highly original and fun wall consisting of climbable empty picture frames, has been on lots of blogs lately. It was designed for the Tokyo fitness club, Illoiha.
This climbing center in Auckland is the largest on the continent. A central, Stone Henge boulder is surrounded by acres of climbing fun.
The Calshot climbing wall in Dorset, England, may not be one of the worlds most impressive climbing walls, technically, but it illustrates perfectly what a stunning architectural form climbing walls can be. It looks like a psychedelic Dazzle Ship and is a match for anything by Daniel Libeskind.
“Snowbird is home to one of the largest outdoor climbing walls in the world. Located on the western end of the Cliff Lodge, the climbing wall has been the site of numerous world class climbing competitions and extends from ground level to the roof of the Cliff Lodge, 12 floors up. ”
Many of the scientists who are stationed at the famous McMurdo ice station in Antarctica are into climbing, such that this rather claustrophobic looking bouldering room is one of the popular hangouts.
This massive outdoor climbing wall is in the Czech capital, Prague, and has a very unusual form that looks like an alien ruin. After the link are some shots of people climbing it, which give some idea of how large it is.
Part of the Lekker Decadent exhibition in the Netherlands, this is a climbable art piece.
The 65 foot high beautifully sculptured climbing wall at awesome outdoor sports store REI in Seattle.
A climbing wall is not a unique feature on cruise ships, these days. This one is on board the 3000+ passenger Explorer of the Seas owned by the same company that operate the worlds largest cruise ship.
Stoneworkds may actually still be the worlds largest indoor climbing wall. Reputedly the basement was excavated by 6 feet to preserve the title from a Japanese gym. Whatever the answer, Stoneworks is a triumph of spirit and imagination, a perfect way way to re-use and preserve one of Americas great landmark building types.
It appears that this Gothic tower was deliberately cascaded with water to provide a scaffold for a competition ice climb.
Another fun wall for kids, where they get to climb up a replica building facade. Unfortunately, because it has to be easy, the facade itself does not provide all the holds.
A home climbing wall is often referred to as a Woodie. After the link is a great step by step guide to building your very own indoor climbing gym at home.
Less technical climbing walls are great items for kids, and this Swedish interactive wall is the best we found. It emits different tones for different hand holds, becoming a giant musical instrument to explore.
The idea of an indoor climbing gym in the Himalayas may seem like sacrilege, however there are certainly lots of climbers in Kathmandu. I love this type of abstract tile used here.
