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GERMANY |
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Location:
Dresden
2012 dates to be confirmed - below gives a taste of what has happened last year
24 Nov – 24 Dec .2011
The oldest Christmas market in Germany (held without interruption for 577 years this historic event which traces its origins right back to 1434. Many typical German Christmas products originate from Dresden and its surrounding areas, including Dresden Stollen cake, gingerbread from Pulsnitz, Moravian stars from Herrnhut, wooden art from the mountain villages of the Erzgebirge, pottery from Lausitz and lace from Plauen.
The main attractions at the Striezelmarkt are its traditional festivals: the Pflaumentoffel (Plum Devil) and Pfefferkuchen (Gingerbread) Festival on the first weekend in Advent (26th/27th November), the Dresden Stollen Festival on the second Saturday in Advent (3rd December), the Pyramid and Candle Arch Festival on the third weekend in Advent (10th/11th December) and the Miners’ Grand Parade and Christmas in Neighbouring Countries on the fourth weekend in Advent (17th/18th December). During Lange Nacht (late-night opening) at the Striezelmarkt on 9th December, you can enjoy the spectacle until midnight.
www.dresden.de/striezelmarkt
‘Christmas mile’ stretching from main railway station to Neustadt
Christmas in Dresden is more than just the famous Striezelmarkt. A whole ‘Christmas mile’ runs through Dresden from the main railway station to Neustadt on the other side of the Elbe. It includes a Christmas market on Prager Strasse and the Neustadt Advent in the baroque quarter around Hauptstrasse. The design of the stalls and costumes worn by their owners at the atmospheric ‘Advent on Neumarkt’ (in front of the Frauenkirche) turn the clock back a hundred years.
Christmas spirit is also much in evidence at the ‘Stallhöfisches Adventsspektakel’ (‘Stallhof Advent Spectacle’) held at the Stall Courtyard of the Royal Palace, the Christmas market on Hauptstrasse, the 14th Neustadt Advent and the Elbhang Christmas market at the Blaues Wunder (‘Blue Wonder’) bridge.
The latest attraction is the ‘1000 Funkel’ Christmas City on the Cockerwiese, the area between the German Hygiene Museum and Volkswagen’s Gläserne Manufaktur (Transparent Factory) at the Grosser Garten. Here, the Helmnot Theatre casts its spell over young and old alike in a unique, fairytale adventure land, spread over an area of almost 15,000 square metres.
www.1000funkel.de
T: +49 (351) 49 19 20
Opening times
Sun - Thu 10.00 - 20.00
Fri - Sat 10.00 - 21.00
Christmas Eve - 14.00
www.dresden.de |
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Dresden Striezelmarket – Christmas pyramid |
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How to say "Merry Christmas" in German
Froehliche Weihnachten
Christmas concerts
Anyone wishing to contemplate the approach of Christmas to the background of spiritual music will find that Dresden has a very full calendar of concerts. In addition to star-studded concerts and reflective organ recitals in the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), the Kreuzkirche (Church of the Holy Cross) also offers unique highlights, for example, the recitals of Christmas carols by the Kreuzchor Boys Choir.
Our insider’s tip is the special concerts which are held in the Dreikönigskirche and many other Dresden churches featuring Advent and gospel music. The historic atmosphere of the Zwinger will also be filled with the sounds of Christmas music. Listings of all concerts are to be found in the Dresden events calendar:
www.dresden.de/veranstaltungen
Fairytale opera
Particularly magical during the Christmas period is a visit to the Semper Opera. Humperdinck’s fairytale opera ‘Hansel and Gretel’ and the ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ are something for the whole family to enjoy together. ‘Reineke Fuchs’ can be seen at the Schauspielhaus.
The classic seasonal story ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Palais Grosser Garten is equally popular. Theater Junge Generation (Theatre of the Young Generation) are performing a play entitled ‘Es ist ein Elch entsprungen’ (English title: ‘A Christmoose Carol’). The State Operetta will be putting on a Christmas show and are bringing ‘Hansel and Gretel’ to the stage. Unforgettable performances can also be enjoyed at the Theaterkahn (Theatre Barge), the cabarets, the wechselbad theatre, the Kulturpalast, the Societaetstheater and the Landesbühnen Sachsen theatre.
Special Christmas museum exhibitions
For many years, one of the joys of Christmas for young and old has been a visit to the special Christmas exhibition at the Landhaus. This year’s exhibition celebrates 20 years of twinning between Dresden and Salzburg. It includes an exquisite collection of Salzburg cribs. No less attractive are the exhibitions in the Transport Museum, the Saxon Folk Art Museum and other locations.
Listings for all these are also to be found in the Dresden events calendar:
www.dresden.de/veranstaltungen
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Christmas outings and guided tours
Christmas outings and guided tours are very popular with visitors to the city. Even in winter, the paddle-steamer fleet of the Saxon Steamship Company regularly departs from Terrassenufer for Pillnitz Palace. The secrets of baking Stollen can be discovered on a guided tour of the Dresdner Backhaus, and Schloss Wackerbarth offers ‘Advent tours in the Realm of the Senses’ and a ‘Family Christmas’. In addition, there are numerous sightseeing and guided tours every day.
It is, however, the hundreds of events that really make winter in Dresden sparkle. At the collectively run website www.feiern-in-dresden.de, you will find exciting dinner shows at five different venues. For example, every evening from 1st to 23rd December, 450 guests can enjoy the exclusive Godfather dinner show ‘Mafia Mia’ in the recently opened Erlwein-Capitol at the Messe Dresden complex. In a four-hour show, the energetic musicians of Leipzig show band The Firebirds hold sway. Together with entertainer Alf Mahlo, offbeat comedy duo Schlicht & Kümmerling and other artists, they put on a highly entertaining show. The culinary highlight are the desserts served up by celebrity chef Mario Pattis.
www.mafia-mia.de
T+49 351 50 160 160
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Additional services provided:
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