History of ice rinks and artificial ice

Ice sports on natural ice

Until the 19th century, ice sports took place on natural ice: on frozen lakes, rivers, canals and flooded meadows. The Netherlands, with its canals, thus became the home of speed skating, and Scotland, with its lochs, the home of curling. The season was short and dependent on the weather. A mild winter could almost cancel it altogether.

1876: the first artificial ice rink

In 1876, the British scientist John Gamgee opened the Glaciarium in London, the world's first mechanically refrigerated ice rink. Pipes carrying a chilled fluid ran beneath the surface. The principle still applies today. The rink was small and struggled with condensation and fog, but it proved that ice was possible regardless of the weather.

In the following decades, artificial ice rinks were built in many major cities in Europe and North America. They became popular social meeting places. Skating was a leisure pursuit, and the rinks also served as a stage for the first organised competitions.

Ice hockey moves indoors

With the rise of ice hockey, the need for covered surfaces with spectator stands grew. In North America, the first large arenas with artificial ice were built at the beginning of the 20th century. Covered rinks made games predictable and enabled professional leagues with fixed schedules.

The rink boom

From the mid-20th century, numerous ice arenas were also built in Europe and Germany, often as municipal leisure facilities with public skating, club training and league games. Many of these rinks date from the 1960s to the 1980s and are now being modernised, for example with more efficient refrigeration plants, natural refrigerants and heat recovery.

Speed skating under a roof

For a long time speed skaters raced in the open air. Only towards the end of the 20th century did covered 400 m ovals become established. Since the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Olympic speed skating races have been held indoors. Controlled conditions make for faster ice and many world records, especially at high-altitude ovals (see speed skating).

Today: multi-purpose arenas and climate questions

Modern arenas transform from ice hockey rink to concert hall within a few hours. The ice often stays in place under an insulating cover. At the same time, ice rinks are big energy consumers. New facilities therefore use the waste heat from the refrigeration plant, for example for showers, heating or neighbouring swimming pools.

How the ice itself is made is explained in making ice & ice temperature. You can find ice rinks near you in our rink directory.

Milestones at a glance