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The luminous world of the Christmas Markets imbues the German cities with the spirit of the festive season

By the German National Tourist Office

Christmas market in Munich - Photograph by Martin Stein

While snowflakes cover the nooks and crannies with a white coat, the aroma of gingerbread, toasted almonds and mulled wine permeates the wintry air. German cities take on a festive look during Advent in preparation of Christmas. Choirs sing on the steps and balconies of historic town halls at the market squares. Trombone players are heard playing from the towers the old Christmas hymns. This festive mood, derived from centuries of tradition, is found nowhere else in the world. Visitors to the Christmas Markets have an air of expectancy and joy about them; the ambiance is serene, the atmosphere never noisy. Wooden stands, elaborately decorated, sell “Lebkuchen,” the special German gingerbread cookies, Stollen, savory grilled sausages and potato pancakes. Hot “Glühwein” and punch sizzle in kettles. Handcarved crèches, candles, wreaths, traditional carved “smoking men,” wooden toys and fine Christmas tree ornaments find eager customers. The Augsburg Christkindlmarkt is solemnly opened on Thursday before the first Advent Sunday. A veritable village of stalls and little houses fills the Town Hall Square and a valuable crèche is at the center of it all. The Rathaus is turned into a huge Advent Calendar, in whose windows the Augsburg Christmas Angels appear and play Christmas music. On the third Sunday of Advent and on Christmas Eve the trombone players play the old tunes from the Perlachturm the city’s famous tower.

A market held before Christmas Eve was first mentioned in the annals of Dresden in 1434. Now as then the Christmas Market is held on Altmarkt, a market square in Dresden. Products from the surrounding regions, such as porcelain from Meissen, toys from the Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains, and glass from Bohemia give the Dresdner Striezelmarkt, as this market is called, an incomparable ambiance. The stollen, or “Striezel,” is a Dresden specialty. Every year, the town’s bakers and confectioners bake a stollen that weighs three tons. It becomes the center of attraction on the Saturday before the second Sunday of Advent.

A different kind of Christmas Market takes place in Lauscha in the Thuringian Forest on two Advent weekends. The locally produced tree ornaments are veritable works of art and have become known beyond Germany’s borders. Precious filigree ornaments, handmade to this day, are found here. The Lauscha Glass Museum exhibits historic ornaments and old toys at the time of the Christmas Market.

In Munich the Christmas Market has been documented as early as 1310, which makes it one of Germany’s oldest. In 1806, it was replaced by the Christkindlmarkt and is nowadays held on Marienplatz Square. Towering over the square is a huge tree resplendent with innumerable lights. Bavarian arts and crafts, above all carved crèches, are popular gift items during the month-long market.

The Nürnberger Christkindlmarket dates back to 1697. It probably came about when in the course of the Reformation Christmas became a time for giving gifts to the children. Today, there is a large crèche in the center of Nürnberg’s Hauptmarkt, the main square. Beautifully decorated booths and stands sell tree ornaments, toys, Christmas angels and, of course, the famous Nürnberger Lebkuchen.

The Christmas village and the German Christmas Museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which is open all year round, are a curiosity. Here visitors from around the world can obtain German Christmas decorations, nutcrackers, smoking men, crèches, Christmas pyramids and tree ornaments at any time.

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