{"id":13864,"date":"2024-12-11T22:30:50","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T21:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/the-magic-of-christmas-markets\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T15:48:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T14:48:43","slug":"the-magic-of-christmas-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/the-magic-of-christmas-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"The magic of Christmas markets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The colourful flashing lights, the cheerful bustle, the penetrating aroma of roasted almonds, mulled wine and fresh pastries invites you to taste, rejoice and enjoy. Do you recognise it? Yes, we’re talking about magical Christmas markets. Today we’re taking a look at the German ones.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

According to historians, Christmas markets are predominantly German in origin, from where they gradually spread through German-speaking areas in Italy, France and Switzerland to the rest of the world. The roots of Christmas markets go back to the Middle Ages, when fairs were held for several days in December in Austrian and German towns to sell various goods. Despite the timing of these events, the original fairs were not directly linked to Christmas. They were often set up near churches and later the tradition of erecting a Christmas tree was added. It is difficult to determine which Christmas market can officially be considered the first, but the city of Dresden proudly proclaims that its Christmas market is the oldest in Germany. <\/p>\n\n

There are now about three thousand Christmas markets in different German cities every year. Among the best known and most popular are the traditional Christmas markets in Nuremberg, the sustainable Cologne Christmas Market, the Berlin Christmas Market and the visitor magnet Christmas Dresden. Each of these cities offers an unmistakable and unrepeatable atmosphere that will appeal to all Christmas lovers. This year we went to Dresden to bring you a little taste. <\/p>\n\n

The Christmas markets in Dresden are an experience full of history, tradition, joy and delights. Several magnificent, spectacular Christmas markets cast their spell over the city. From the medieval to the romantic market, from Christmas with a Nordic flair to the much-loved Striezelmarkt on the Altmarkt in the heart of Dresden, there is a favourite market for every visitor. <\/p>\n\n

Periodically in December, Dresden transforms into a land of wonders, celebrations and surprises. The historic old town, with its baroque buildings and cobbled streets, is illuminated by thousands of lights and festive decorations that create a truly magical atmosphere. A special highlight of Christmas is the Striezelmarkt, which is considered the oldest Christmas market in Germany. Visitors can sample the famous Christmas Stollen, a traditional pastry made according to a centuries-old recipe. Guests can enjoy a daily Christmas cultural programme. Enticing performances for young and old alike warm the heart, as do culinary delights, delicately spiced mulled wine and children’s punch. The Augustusmarkt is the second largest Christmas market in Dresden. The traditional ride on the historic Ferris wheel while looking at the illuminated Christmas houses and the unmissable Christmas tree reminds one a bit of a nostalgic journey into the past. Visitors will find a variety of delicacies from Saxon to international cuisine. There is also a romantic Christmas market at the baroque Frauenkirche in M\u00fcnzgasse, which captures the impressive festive and celebratory atmosphere of the Advent season. Concerts and services in this church offer an opportunity to escape the hectic pace of everyday life and experience the true meaning of Christmas. Historical market stalls with authenticity of the past and the centuries before last and original handicraft and art products are brought to you by the Christmas market on Neumarkt Square. In the premises of the Dresden Royal Palace, visitors are offered an extraordinary experience in true medieval spirit. For a quieter atmosphere, the captivating Christmas market at the Residential Palace is enriched by nearby winter fun on the ice rink hidden in the inner courtyard of the Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Hotel. <\/p>\n\n

We have by no means mentioned or visited all the Christmas markets in Dresden, but we suspect that each one has its own charm and brings original experiences, unique crafts, regional specialties and festive music. This year, some close on Christmas Eve, but many of them last until 5 January, so you may still be able to make your visit. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The colourful flashing lights, the cheerful bustle, the penetrating aroma of roasted almonds, mulled wine and fresh pastries invites you to taste, rejoice and enjoy. Do you recognise it? Yes, we’re talking about magical Christmas markets. Today we’re taking a look at the German ones. According to historians, Christmas markets are predominantly German in origin, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[96,75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-germany","category-uncategorized"],"meta_box":{"meno":"","text_zlpksln874o":"","Name":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13864"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13866,"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13864\/revisions\/13866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dyma.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}