Striezelmarkt Dresden: When Christmas comes to Life
The Striezelmarkt is among the oldest Christmas markets that operate in Germany. It first started in the year 1434 in Dresden, this marks the year 2016 as the 582nd year of the market’s existence. The Striezelmarkt Dresden is an annual event which typically lasts throughout the season of Advent till the eve of Christmas.
The History of the Market
The first mention of the market dates back to the year 1434. It was the Elector of Saxony, Fredrich II who introduced the market to the people of Dresden at the Altmarkt square. Back in those days, the market
was an affair that was confined to just a days’ worth of time but still was a popular location where almost everyone would come and have a great time.
Striezelmarkt Dresden offered the citizens meat which would then become a part of their Christmas meal right after the prolonged fasting interval of Advent.
In the years that years that have followed since then the market has been expanded from a small gathering to a massive large scale conglomerate which witnesses an annual footfall of over 3 million visitors.
The word – Striezelmarkt originates from the German word: Strüzel or Stroczel which referred to a kind of cake which was sold in the market. This cake is now famous as Stollen or the popular Christmas delight Christollen. These are a variety of fruit cake which is super light and airy and is also very low on sugar. Recently the christollen has become a feature of Christmas all over the world. The one true version of the stollen which is authentically produced only in Dresden can easily be distinguished from all the other varieties based on the seal which it carries of August the Strong. The insignia of the king was derived out of the entrance to a mining tunnel which was dug out during the king’s reign. Furthermore, the seal is also symbolically significant of the mining history of the region.
Features of today’s Striezelmarkt Dresden
The most significantly famous feature of today’s Striezelmarkt Dresden is probably the usable Christmas Arch which is the largest of its kind in the whole world. It measures a whopping 13.5 metres in its breadth and has a height of over 5 metres. This arch is then placed on a 14 metre high Erzgebirge Christmas pyramid.
You can also find a children’s adventure world here. It has everything that a child’s imagination can fancy. The best part about this market is the prune chimney sweeps cottage along with the bakery. The bakery particularly is open to the public for kneading and arts & craft. Additionally, one can also find a one of a kind puppets theatre, a merry go round and a railway line meant only for children. Here you can also sit and watch the theatrical performances which take place on a daily basis for as long as the market is in business.
During the Advent weekend, one can also find special events such as the globally renowned Dresden Stollen Festival and Pyramid and the Christmas Arch Festival.
Centrally located in the market area is a spruce which measures a total height of 20 metres. It was sourced from the neighbouring Tharandt woods. This piece is also beautifully decorated using lights and other items. Furthermore, towards the back end of the market square, there will be a fairy tale castle constructed all of wood and a very large-scale depiction of the Advent Calendar. On each new day of the Advent, one of the doors of this calendar is opened purely for the entertainment of the young ones. A puppet show is also featured as the doors are opened. On the Fridays particularly Father Christmas himself visits the market and bestows his blessings to everyone around.
`Food and Drinks at the Market
In addition to the Christollen, the Striezelmarkt Dresden is also famous for numerous speciality items that originated in the very region. Some of them are listed below:
- Pflaumentoffel
These are items of decoration but can be eaten as well because they are made out of prunes. When literally translated the Pflaumentoffel means ‘plum devil’. It is also otherwise sold under the name of Feuerrüpel or Fiery Santa. Furthermore, they are not essentially associated with either the devil or Santa for that matter it is more so an association with the chimney sweeps. Prior to the 20th century, it was sold by children on trays across the market so that they could collect enough money for their Christmas feast. One can also find an artistic representation of this in the famous 1853 painting by Ludwig Richter. This painting of his was titled as Ausverkauft when Geschäftsaufgabe or Sold out as giving up business. In the year 1910, any forms of sales at the hands of children were put on the ban on the market.
- Pulsnitzer Pfefferkuchen or the Pulsnitz gingerbread
Through the gingerbread is the most famous feature of the Christmas market at Nuremberg wherein it is sold by the name of Lebkuchen. The Pulsnitzer Pfefferkuchen is the very essence of the festivities in and around the time of Christmas. Furthermore, the Pulsnitzer Pfefferkuchen translates as a special pepper cake. Interestingly, the use of the word pepper does not necessarily indicate the use of pepper but in fact, it was used in reference to any new spice of foreign origin.
- Glühwein or the mulled wine
It is one of the most renowned varieties of wine which is sold in the Striezelmarkt or any Christmas market for that matter. People love drinking this mulled wine specially during the cold nights of December in Germany. The mugs in which this wine is poured is usually steamed and spiced using cloves and cinnamon.
The Christmas traditions of Germany are well renowned and hold the allegiance of their fame and fortune not only within the region. Following is a list of the Christmas markets in Germany:
- Berliner Kinderweihnachtsmarkt
- Spandauer Weihnachtsmarkt
- Weihnachtszauber market in Gendarmenmarkt
- Nostalgischer Weihnachtsmarkt
- Christkindlesmarkt – Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg
- Christkindlesmarkt – Nuremberg, Bavaria
- Christkindlmarkt – Regensburg, Bavaria
- Christkindlmarkt – Munich, Bavaria
- Christkindlesmarkt – Augsburg, Bavaria
- Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt – Erfurt, Thuringia
- Leipziger Weihnachtsmarkt – Leipzig, Saxony
- Mainzer Weihnachtsmarkt – Mainz, Rhineland-Pfalz
- Märchenmarkt – Gera, Thuringia
- Märchenweihnachtsmarkt – Kassel, Hesse
- Striezelmarkt – Dresden, Saxony
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Ansbach, Bayern
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Bad Homburg, Hesse
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Braunschweig, Lower Saxony
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Bremen, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Frankfurt am Main, Hessen
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Hamburg, Hamburg-Mitte borough
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Koblenz, Rheinland-Pfalz
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg
- Sternschnuppenmarkt Twinkling Star Market – Wiesbaden, Hesse
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Würzburg, Bayern
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Windsbach, Bayern
- Weihnachtsmarkt – Schweinfurt, Bayern