Chriskindlesmarkt Nuremberg is a Christmas Market that is held every year in Nuremberg, Germany. The market is one of the most anticipated Christmas markets in Germany as well as the world, with over two million visitors annually. If you ever decide to visit Germany, you cannot afford to leave out this location from your itinerary. With the amazing experience this place has on offer, this is one of most recommended places to visit in Germany.
Christkindlesmarkt Nuremberg takes place during Friday that precedes the first Sunday in the Advent and goes on til 24th of December. A combination of beauty and tradition, the market remains a popular attraction spot since 700 years earlier to this day.
Location
Christkindlesmarkt is a Christmas market that is hosted annually at Hauptmarkt, Nuremberg in Germany. People from various parts of the world visit this market and is a perfect place to shop for Christmas and enjoy some really amazing time with your family and friends.
Weather
Due to its inland position and higher altitude, Nuremberg has an oceanic climate. Winters are either mild or very cold, with an average temperature of -3 degrees to 4 degrees. Summers are warm in the city, with an average rise in temperature at 25 degrees during the day and around 13 degrees during the night. July is the month that brings about the most amount of rainfall.
Ideally, the most number of tourists visit this place just before the Christmas and is a really good time to visit for anyone who seeks to enjoy the celebration mode of this Christmas market.
History
Although Christkindlesmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany, to draw the exact date of origin becomes a tad bit difficult. The earliest written records of the market date back to the 16th century, laying the foundation stone for Nuremberg’s Christmas celebrations 400 years ago.
In his letters, published four centuries later by Helga Scheible, Willibald Pirckheimer wrote about some nuns from the Bergen convent who “sent for spices from the Market” in Advent. This might be the earliest reference to Christkindlesmarkt.
The best reference to the market came about in the year 1628, when a 19 centimetre long, oval box decorated with floral designs had been discovered with an inscription in black ink at the bottom: “Sent to Regina Susanna Harbdorfferin by Miss Susanna Eleonora Erbsin on the occasion of Kindle’s Market in 1628.” The box, which is maybe the oldest historical evidence that suggests the date of origin of the Christmas Market is now housed in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum.
Christoph Wagenseil, then a professor at Altdorf University mentioned ‘Christkindleinsmarck’ in the second history of the town in the year 1697.
In 1898, the Christmas Market is removed from its original location and moved to Insel Schutt. It is again moved to a new location just outside of the Museum of the Applied Arts in 1919. It was only in 1933 that the market was moved back to its original location once again. It opened up on the 4th of December with an actress dressed as a Christmas Angel, reciting a prologue. In 1948, Friedrich Broger wrote a new prologue for the post-war market. Actress Sofie Keeser became the first Christkind to recite it aloud.
The prologue underwent quite a lot of changes since it was first written by Broger. But, since the year 1966, no changes in the prologue have been made. It is recited as it is written.
Three years later, the people of Nuremberg choose a girl from amongst themselves to make her the new Christkind for the first time. The tradition has not changed till this date.
In the year 1973, The City Council of Nuremberg decided to alter the date of the opening of the Christmas Market from the 4th December to the Friday preceding the First Advent Sunday to manage the incoming visitors in a better way than before.
The name ‘Nuernberger Christkindlesmarkt’ is trademarked for the first time in the year 1996, exactly one year after the Market’s logo, consisting of the image as well as the symbol is trademarked.
The City
Nuremberg was earlier often known as the ‘Unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire.’ It was also the center of the German Renaissance, which made it open to concepts such as humanism, printing, science, and technology. The second largest city in Bavaria after Munich makes Nuremberg culturally as well as economically significant.
The city of Nuremberg is a culturally vibrant one, with lots of museums displaying art and culture at its best. The oldest collections of Germany are housed in various museums across the city. Nuremberg is known for its cuisine as well. Nuremberg Lebkuchen is one dish that you will fall in love with. During Christmas, you will find the culinary delight on every nook and corner of the city. Don’t forget to try the Bratwurst while you are there. Therefore, it is really a great and fun time for anyone visiting this city.
Traveling in the city
Visitors flock to Nuremberg every year to catch a glimpse of open air markets, beautiful museums as well as the world famous Nuremberg Bratwurst: the culinary magic of sausages and gingerbread. But, Nuremberg is a city that is much more than the Christkindlesmarkt.
If you are a shopaholic, you can simply visit Nuremberg’s Old Town. With the bright and exciting shopping stores, you can’t go wrong with the fashion there. The Breite Gasse shopping mile offers a broad range of shopping. For some high-end shopping- ranging from unique jewelry to home accessories, you can head to Kaiserstrabe.
And if historical exploration is the first thing on your list, visit Kaiserburg, which has been a symbol of the city since the Middle Ages. You can explore the interiors of the castle with the double chapel as well as the Finnel Tower. You can also indulge your visual senses in beautiful sightseeing from the top of the castle. All these are truly great things to explore for any history lover.
Germany is known for its Bratwurst. Nuremberg is a city that is home to the oldest Bratwurst restaurant in the world. The ingredients for the sausage cooked here come from local farms. You will love the authentic taste that the dish will leave your taste buds in.
Why visit?
The best time to visit Christkindlesmarkt is during Christmas. The Christmas Market is at least four centuries old. It has 30 stalls dating back to the year 1890. Most of the wares available in the market are manufactured regionally. So, this Market is old as well as traditional. A tinge of beauty gets added to the Market as the Christkind, a girl between the ages of 16 and 19 makes an appearance with a golden crown on her head and dressed in a white flowing gown, who recites the prologue for the opening ceremony.
A combination of tradition, culture, and beauty, The Christkindlesmarkt is a visual treat to the visitors. Gifts, souvenirs such as the Prune Man, lots of sweet gingerbread with some dark beer brewed locally just add to more enjoyment. It is a Market that you can visit with your family and be ensured that your spouse and kids will cherish every moment spent there.
There will never be a dull moment throughout the Market season. With loads of gifts to buy and even more loads of moments to relish, your time will be well spent during Christmas. You can head out to this amazing place with your friends and family to enjoy the festive season even more. There is definitely not a better place to shop for the Christmas festivities.
Major Attractions
Nuremberg is a city where art and culture are appreciated via various museums existing across the landscape. It also witnessed a huge advance in science and technology- it houses the first printing press and takes pride in the fact that Nicholas Copernicus’ most famous work was published in that city in the year 1543. With endless places to visits and sights to see, the list below offers a compilation of the best attractions that the city has to offer. Don’t miss out on visiting these great sightseeing places with your family and friends as you’d truly cherish this visit for the rest of your life.
National Germanic Museum:
It is home to Germany’s largest art and cultural collection. With a collection of historical documents on parchment, 17,000 seals, and items of cultural and religious significance, the museum contains more than 1.2 million items in all. Historical music instruments and antique dolls and dollhouses make this museum even appealing in the eyes of the visitors every year. History lovers, especially, love to flock this place all round the year and even as a non-history lover, you’d find this museum full of fun and rich experience.
St. Lawrence’s Church:
The most noticeable feature of this 14th century Gothic Church is its large rose window. The interior of the church is made visually delightful by placing Annunciation- a 16th-century sculpture by Veit Stoss, The Krell Altar, with the 13th century stained glass in the choir.
The Hauptmarkt:
With it, ornate decorations and beautifully carved figures, this 14th century ‘Beautiful Fountain’ is aptly named. This location hosts the Christkindlesmarkt every year. People from across the world visit this every year.
The Toy Museum:
This place has a wide range of toys originating from different countries. These toys are bound to appeal to kids of all age groups. It houses the world’s largest collection of toys manufactured by EP Lehmann, one of the best-known manufacturers of Germany known for their line of model trains.
The Nuremberg Zoo:
There is never a moment in Nuremberg where the kids shake their heads in disappointment. If they do shake their heads, take them to the Nuremberg Zoo, which houses more than 2,000 animals as well as a dolphinarium. It would be a good idea to visit this place with your kids and family and enjoy this amazing place. People from various parts of the world visit the Nuremberg Zoo throughout the year.
What else is around?
- Nazi Party Rally Grounds
- Albrecht Durer’s House
- Sebaldus Church
- Staatstheater
- Nuremberg Arena
- Fleisch Bridge