Christmas Nuremberg. Emotional reportage of an adult man. Christmas market in Nuremberg Holiday market in Augsburg
The Christmas market in Nuremberg is considered the benchmark for the German Christmas market, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world to the city every year. On the main shopping square of the city, surrounded by Gothic churches, at the foot of the fortress it smells of cinnamon and hot wine, a merry-go-round is spinning, and tourists scurry along the narrow rows between wooden benches. What is so unusual about the Nuremberg Christmas market?
View of the Church of St. Sebaldus ( Sebalduskirche) and Nuremberg Fortress ( Die burg).
Nuremberg Christmas market is called Christkindlesmarkt(« Christkindlesmarkt", Literally:" christ child market"). Its written history goes back 400 years, but, most likely, the market existed much earlier than its first documentary mention. Among the tourists making “ eurotrip”Is considered a must visit Nuremberg in preparation for Christmas. At this time, the entire old city center turns into a huge fairs selling toys, Christmas tree decorations, souvenirs and sweet treats!
Like Nuremberg kristkindlesmarkt"Became a landmark fair and was included in the list" must-si"? It seems to me that this is due to the reputation of Nuremberg as " german»Cities of Germany. The origin of this unofficial title goes back to the end of the 18th century, that is, to the very beginning of the era of romanticism. At that distant time, artists and poets were looking for a source of inspiration in fantasies and emotional experiences much more than we do now, in the era of consumerism. Germans from other parts of Germany came to Nuremberg and found its economic lagging behind, old-fashioned, partially dilapidated architecture, romantic and inspiring.
kristkindlesmarkt"visited by hundreds of thousands of people, I'm not exaggerating. It is sometimes very difficult to get through the market.
The era of Baroque and Rococo bypassed Nuremberg. While kings built lavish palaces and castles, Nuremberg paid off debts and tried to regain lost influence. As a result, at the end of the 18th century, the city looked dilapidated; in a hundred years, only a couple of churches and several new buildings were built. No boulevards or lush city villas. For romantic travelers, Nuremberg, with its crooked alleys and wooden half-timbered houses, seemed the lost German city that most fully corresponded to their idea of \u200b\u200bmedieval Germany. The Christmas market, held in Nuremberg since 1616, fits well with this concept.
kristkindlesmarkta"and the Church of the Virgin Mary ( Frauenkirche).
In the 1920s, Germany was turbulent. The Nazis were gaining popularity. Bourgeois Munich did not promise the Nazis as much support as they could get in the most industrial city of Bavaria, Nuremberg. Since 1927, " nuremberg races"- hundreds of thousands of torchlight processions of the Nazis. The Nazis tied " kristkindlesmarkt"With the spirit of the Aryan race. Nuremberg as " most german cityGermany, the keeper of the imperial Kleinods and the birthplace of the first railway, fit perfectly into the ideology of Nazism.
The ancient environment gives the market the necessary flavor and connection to the past. Nuremberg " kristkindlesmarkt"has been regularly held in this square since the 17th century. A pointed spire stands out in the foreground" beautiful fountain".
Nuremberg suffered greatly during the war. 85% of the buildings in the old city were destroyed by air raids, but after the war, most of the ancient city was rebuilt from ruins. Despite this, already in 1946, the Christmas market started working again. Then the square was still in ruins, the churches of the Virgin Mary and St. Sebaldus were destroyed. Of the original historical values, only “ Beautiful fountain» ( Schöner Brunnen), which was prudently covered with a concrete sarcophagus, which saved it from bombing.
The stage on which they perform " carols"and" generous".
The original concept “ kristkindlesmarkta”Was designed for children. The annual Christmas market sold toys and sweets, which he gave to children “ santa Claus". In the Catholic tradition, St. Nicholas brings gifts to children. On the morning of December 6, the children looked into their shoes, which were prudently placed outside the doorway, and expected to find sweets there.
After the Reformation, the role of the good saint passed to Jesus himself, and with this the date of the gift was postponed to Christmas. The three-week break between St. Nicholas Day and Christmas was filled with an extended fair, which from now on lasted not three days, but three weeks.
Over time, the range of fair products has expanded significantly. In addition to tin toys, Christmas tree decorations and other festive decorations began to be sold at the fair. If, in the original interpretation, the Christmas market served for the preparation of food for the winter by the townspeople (smoked meat, potatoes, pickles), then over time, the emphasis shifted to toys for children and various sweets.
Some fair traditions have survived through the centuries. For example, you can still buy plum men at the Christmas market “ Pflaumenmännle". They are made from dried plums and apricots.
At the exhibition dedicated to the history “ kristkindlesmarkta”, It is argued that the very tradition of celebrating Christmas is rooted in Franconian folklore. For example, the red and white striped fabric on the stands is a coincidence with the colors of the Franconian flag. The exhibition also features samples of toys that could be bought on the market at the end of the 19th century.
Historians have found evidence that chestnuts and waffles were roasted in the oldest Christmas markets. The classic set of goodies from the fair includes: waffles with chocolate or powdered sugar, pancakes with cinnamon, bananas or “ nutella", Sausages of any configurations and sizes, pancakes with sugar, fried almonds, chocolate-coated bananas, gingerbread cookies (which are a registered trademark in Nuremberg)," shtollen"(Holiday pies) and much more that did not come to my mind at the time of writing.
Mulled wine is by far the main ingredient in any Christmas market. The aroma of hot wine with spices informs people about the opening of the fair even in the neighboring streets. At Christmas time, the centers of German cities are enveloped in the scent of cinnamon, oranges and wine. Communication " mulled wine-christmas"Is laid down literally at a subconscious level. Without the aroma of mulled wine, the Christmas mood does not come.
The booth next to the Church of St. Sebaldus sells the most delicious sausages. A long line leads to them.
In Nuremberg next to " Fleischbrücke» (" the Myasnikov bridge", Fleischbrücke) there is a separate Christmas village, which houses the world's largest cistern with Feuerzangenbowle, a worthy alternative to the already boring mulled wine. " Feuerzangenbole»Is cooked in a large vat. Red wine is poured into a basin, spices are poured and orange slices are thrown. By gradually heating the mixture, we get “ gluwein". When the wine has become hot enough, put “ feuerzange» - « fire tongs". On them lies " zuckerhut» (« sugar loaf») - a cone-shaped sugar bar pre-soaked in rum. Sugar soaked in strong Cuban alcohol is set on fire and watched until all " sugar loaf»Will not caramel or drain into the pot. Serve hot.
The largest vat with " feuerzangenbole"on the banks of the Pegnitz River.
The good Christmas mood is limited to four weeks of Advent. The fairs open on Friday four weeks before Christmas and close on December 24th. Some bazaars go one step ahead of tourists and extend their opening hours until December 31st. These are not real bazaars, traitors in the fair trade union! Authentic " weinachtsmarkt» ( Weihnachtsmarkt, literally: " christmas market») Never lasts longer than Advent!
Food, drinks, tree decorations and toys - the main assortment of Christmas markets does not change from city to city. The oldest Christmas market is located in Dresden, but, as we say in Franconia, the only truly German market can be seen only in Nuremberg! And although the sellers at the Nuremberg fair have given way to the demands of global tourism over time, gradually accepting credit cards and posting signs in English, the fair here is still an authentic embodiment of the spirit of German Christmas.
A more provincial Christmas market can be found in the report from
We decided to start our Christmas trip from Nuremberg, because the largest and most famous Christmas market in Germany is located there. 
The idea to visit the German Christmas markets has been in my head for a very long time. And I infected Olya with this idea. For six months we have been reading interesting entries about Christmas markets (mainly from LJ). As a result, tickets were bought and hotels were booked. I can tell you that the hotels were already half occupied for this period. And this is four months before the markets open! As a result of strict selection, the details of which I omit, the route turned out to be the following: Vienna - Nuremberg - Rothenburg on Tauber - Passau - Vienna.
As always, I prepared a travel plan, but on the day of departure, when I had to copy the plan into a tablet, the insidious electricians did their dark deed, and the file remained a useless load in my home computer with no power. It's good that I had an old version of the file in the mail, where the plan was ready without two cities - Passau and Vienna.
Due to the ongoing reconstruction, Krasnodar airport delayed flights. It was lucky that our flight was delayed by only 10 minutes. But at the airport we had a small bonus in the form of a crowd of Swiss football fans! Where did they come from? The day before, a match was held between FC "Kuban" and FC "St. Gallen", which ended in our victory with a score of 4: 0. The fans drank "Zhigulevskoe" and sang songs loudly in German. It all looked pretty funny.
So, on November 29, 2013 a Fokker 100 aircraft of Austrian airlines took us from Krasnodar to Vienna. I remember this plane because it has two rows of seats on the left. If you fly together, then this is a nice bonus.
In the history of our travels abroad, this is the first time that we have visited the same city twice. I must say that the sensations are very pleasant. This time Vienna seemed like a familiar city to us. You know what to watch, where to go, where to save money. We spent the night, and in the morning took the high-speed ICE.
We got to Nuremberg closer to dinner.
Our hotel in Nuremberg was called the Steichele Hotel & Weinrestaurant. The surprise was the double bed in the room. It's such a long narrow bed from one wall to the other. That is, you need to sleep on it in a row one after another. I had to go to the administrator and agree on another number. The woman at the counter was not particularly helpful, pretended not to understand my English and said that she would better call Svetlana. As you can imagine, there were no vacant rooms at that time. With Svetlana's help, we managed to convince the administrator to change the number. Thanks a lot to her!
By this time, my stomach had organized a protest rally and demanded an urgent meal with banners "Give me Nuremberg sausages!" I didn't have to persuade myself for a long time, especially since the corresponding institution was located literally around the corner from our hotel. This is one of Nuremberg's historic pubs. The inscription says that "Zum Gulden Stern" has been operating since 1419.
Since the building is historical, I decided that it would not be superfluous to show it to you. 
Nuremberg sausages are really good! They write praise about them for a reason. Serving options are as follows: 6, 8, 10 and 12 pieces. They are offered sauerkraut or potato salad. Here they pamper with Tucher beer. It goes well with sausages. Such local "sausage" cuisine impressed us, and in the evening of the same day we came here again for dinner. Moreover, it is inexpensive.
Can these sausages be called truly Bavarian? I don't know, two Asians fried them on the fire))
I will not describe the legend of the appearance of Nuremberg sausages, and everyone knows that. 
And then Olya arranged a merciless shopping, and we killed the rest of the day in local stores. At this time, the pre-Christmas discounts have already begun. Taking this opportunity, I bought myself a Wellensteyn jacket one and a half times cheaper than the usual cost. By the way, large chain stores are full of Russian-speaking sellers. 
The shopping hell is over and the purchases have been successfully delivered to the hotel. Then, as I wrote above, we again visited the "sausage" pub. And finally, we headed to the very center of historic Nuremberg in order to experience all the delights of German Christmas.
To fully immerse myself in the German Christmas atmosphere, I drank a mug of hot mulled wine. The effect followed immediately)) 
That evening I hardly took any pictures in the market. I wanted to fully enjoy the sensations. Everything that was happening around was new, unusual for me! The air was filled with the smells of mud wine, fried sausages, gingerbread, cinnamon, burning candles. Words cannot convey what a huge amount of positive emotions I received from contemplation of such a beautiful sight. Perhaps the only drawback of the Christmas market in Nuremberg is the huge crowds. Russian speech is heard everywhere here.
At night I had a wonderful Christmas dream, which I, unfortunately, did not remember. 
After such a huge number of people on the streets of the city, I wanted to see another Nuremberg - sleeping, quiet, deserted. So the next morning I got up at six o'clock, took a tripod and went for a walk. There was hardly anyone on the streets. It is at such moments, when I am alone with the city, that I begin to feel it in full.
And the Pegnitz River has a beautiful color! Meat Bridge (Fleischbrücke). Despite its apparent simplicity, this is the most famous bridge in the old city. 
I could not help capturing the most photographed place in Nuremberg - the Heilig-Geist-Spital. Once upon a time, the "spear of fate" was kept here, which we will see again in Vienna. 
Church of St. Lorenz surrounded by stalls. At that moment, when I was taking a picture, the cleaners appeared, and every speck from the street was removed. 
It is hard to believe that after the Second World War there was no stone unturned from Nuremberg. The city was rebuilt with such German meticulousness that even the details cannot be found fault with. 
Returned to the hotel for breakfast. There has not yet been a case that in at least one hotel in Germany I was fed a bad breakfast (I remember with horror Rimini from the tour package).
Olya had already got up, we had breakfast and went towards the center. Now I knew the shortest route to the market.
There are many bridges in Nuremberg. In terms of their number, he can easily compete with cities such as Amsterdam or Venice.
Of course, we could not pass by such beauty.
Executioner's Bridge (Henkersteg). If in the old days people did not really want to walk along the bridge, and even more so to meet the executioner here, now the traffic on the bridge is quite lively. Five minutes before our arrival, a tourist group with a guide passed across the bridge. Then I waited for a long time for the moment when a cyclist would ride on it, a lady with a dog would pass, a student would run, etc. Moreover, they all apologized to me, seeing that I was standing with a aimed camera. 
In the morning I liked the market much more. Firstly, there were few people, and secondly, taking pictures in sunlight is much more pleasant. These products were brought from the Czech Republic. I bought a small house with lighting here. It looked amazing under the New Year tree. 
What you should definitely bring from Nuremberg are Christmas tree decorations. No, just not these (they just turned out well in the photo), but glass. 
Half-timbered houses are my weakness! 
For lunch, we went to a restaurant at our hotel. Yesterday we booked a table for 12:00, as the place is quite popular. They even wrote us down! Imagine our surprise that no one knows about our reservation today! No wonder I did not like the nasty administrator aunt.
We were served by a Russian-speaking waitress from Ukraine. We did not hear any apologies for the failed reservation, but she asked if we would have time to have lunch before 13:00. The meat was deliciously prepared, but I will not recommend this restaurant, you can see for yourself what attitude towards visitors. 
Near our hotel was the Catholic Church of St. Elizabeth (Pfarrkirche St. Elisabeth). I was surprised that I did not see her photo on the Internet, although I saw quite a few records about the city. From the outside, the church looks very impressive. It's more modest inside. 
This site used to be the chapel of St. Elizabeth at the hospital. The number of parishioners grew, and in 1785 the foundation stone was laid for the church that you can see today. 
I just liked the house. 
We visited the toy museum. The collection is as many as three floors! Personally, I was interested in the department with toy railways. The photo shows a large model of a railway with moving trains. No photography is allowed inside the museum. 
Another bridge. It feels like there was not enough material for it, so they collected it from anything. Or a strange idea of \u200b\u200bthe architect suggests something like that. Or maybe historically it so happened that the bridge is composed of three parts. Nevertheless, I will get to the bottom of the truth and update the text. 
Positive inscription on the plaque: "Museum of Communications wishes a Merry Christmas!" 
Church of St. Sebald. You've already seen something similar on the other side of the river, haven't you? 
Dürer's house. We weren't inside, left a visit for the next time we are in Nuremberg. 
Restaurant named after Durer. On TripAdvisor, they write laudatory reviews about it. 
Fortress of Nuremberg. We didn’t calculate the time and didn’t manage to visit it. Also left the next time. 
An excellent panorama of the old Nuremberg opens up from above. 
In the meantime, it started to get dark and we went to see the Christkindlesmarkt again. We came here mainly because of him. 
A beautifully designed showcase and a charming smile of the seller are the key to successful trading)) 
I wanted to photograph the market from above. I went to the Frauenkirche, there is a ticket office and an inscription "Crystalkindl Museum". I was so happy, bought two tickets, called Olya, we went upstairs, and there ... That is, in fact, the whole museum)) Although no, still on the side of the wall were shabby photographs of girls who had been chosen as Christmas symbols over the past few years. 
But from here there is a good view of the main altar of the church. 
I do not recommend shooting the market from here, otherwise you will get the same terrible angles. The fact is that the church from below is illuminated by bright lamps, which, when captured in the frame, will not cause positive emotions in the photographer. There are only areas on the sides that are not particularly photogenic. So, it is better to shoot the market from some building opposite the church across the square. 
Super cute candlesticks. 
I liked the city of Nuremberg. Just before Christmas, we won't go here again. Too many people. I recommend visiting it in the fall. I am 100% sure that Nuremberg is more attractive in autumn than at other times of the year. It's all about color.
Here you will not be lost without knowledge of German or English, every second person we met spoke Russian.
This time Muse did not visit me, so there is absolutely trouble with the text. I'll edit it later.
Ahead of us is the most Christmas city in Germany - Rothenburg on Tauber.
Woman "s Day has partnered with Booking.com, the world's largest selection of quirky holiday destinations, to compile a list of the best Christmas markets around the world, based on thousands of traveler reviews.
The Christmas markets are the perfect place to experience the festive mood. Pleasant searches for unusual gifts, delicious local food and walks along the evening streets among flickering lights - what could be better?
It is important to book your ticket now! We have calculated the costthe minimum price for a direct flight (where possible) for two on the first day of the fair and a return flight seven days after arrival at the destination. The price for accommodation includes a room in the specified hotel for seven days and six nights.
Christmas markets in Prague (20 November - 3 January)
Prague is a magical city at any time of the year, but on the eve of Catholic Christmas it literally transforms! This is an ideal place for those who want to get acquainted with a new culture, history and architecture for themselves and, of course, do New Year's shopping. At Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, you will find all kinds of Christmas stalls, mouth-watering local dishes and traditional handicrafts. Major travelers who visited Prague at this time last year include guests from Germany, Italy and the UK.
Residence Agnes is a 4-star boutique hotel in a historic building in the heart of the city, just 600 meters from the beautiful Old Town Square with its many shops. There are first-class restaurants in the immediate vicinity, and the hotel itself serves a delicious buffet breakfast to recharge your batteries before a busy day.
Issue price: 26 598 rubles for a ticket + 54 949 rubles for accommodation.
Christmas City, Bethlehem, PA, USA (November 21 - December 21)
For the ultimate Western Christmas experience, head to Bethlehem, PA. Over a million people visit the city's Christmas markets every year. Here you will find cozy wooden houses where you can buy delicious food, mulled wine and unusual gifts. Most of the guests last year came here from the USA, China, Taiwan and Italy.
The historic Bethlehem Hotel was opened in 1922. It has a unique hall with paintings depicting scenes from the history of the city. The hotel boasts an unusual design, elegant rooms and a beautiful restaurant serving fine cuisine.
Issue price:61 902 rubles for a ticket + 77 342 rubles for accommodation.
Christmas Market in Tivoli Park, Copenhagen (November 15 - January 3)
The Danes are so fond of the simple joys of life that they even came up with a special word for this - "huga". And at the Christmas market in Tivoli Park, you will surely experience the same feeling. Taste the aromatic glue and traditional Danish donuts, walk along the over 50 Christmas stalls, and enjoy the incredible evening lights by Lake Tivoli. And don't forget the reindeer - who knows, you might be lucky enough to see them! Most of the travelers who visited here at the same time last year came from Denmark, Great Britain, Sweden and Italy.
Situated in Copenhagen's famous Tivoli Park, the stylish Nimb Boutique Hotel is housed in an impressive Moorish-style building. After a busy day at the Christmas market, guests can unwind in the cozy rooms with four-poster beds, a fireplace and a bathtub. Visit the Nimb Brasserie for seasonal Scandinavian and French cuisine before relaxing by the fireplace in the bar.
Issue price: 30 902 rubles for a ticket + 404 380 rubles for accommodation.
WinterFest Christmas Markets in Hong Kong (November 29 - January 1)
Hong Kong's glittering skyscrapers provide the perfect backdrop for Christmas markets. There are several of them in the city: the largest is located on the Northern Statue Square. Well, if you like artificial snow, New Year's shops and delicious food, go to Hong Kong Disneyland, it will be fun not only for children! If you're looking for something luxurious for your New Year's Eve trip, the 5-star Peninsula Hong Kong on the shores of Victoria Harbor is what you've been looking for. Guests can swim in the Roman-style indoor pool during the day and dine at the rooftop restaurant in the evening and enjoy incredible views of the city. This is the perfect destination for those looking to head to the Christmas market or take a walk along Victoria Harbor and admire the city's night lights reflected in the water.
Issue price: 55 560 rubles for a ticket + 237 206 rubles for accommodation.
Christkindlesmarkt Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany (November 29 - December 24)
The Nuremberg Christmas market is the oldest in the world. It has been held since the 16th century, so you should definitely look here. Smell the aromatic scents of mulled wine, toasted almonds and ginger muffins, stroll along the 180 Christmas stalls and enjoy the New Year's atmosphere in this medieval city. If you want to buy a New Year's souvenir, take a look at the traditional "plum men" (figurines made of plums and figs, dressed in traditional folk clothing). Last year, this destination was the most popular with guests from Austria, Great Britain and Italy.
At this 4-star themed design hotel, guests can stay in stylish and cozy rooms, or in unique themed rooms where they can learn about the mythical stories of Nuremberg. Hotel Drei Raben is located just a 3-minute walk from the Church of St. Lawrence and 5 minutes from the central station.
Issue price: 25,035 rubles for a ticket + 82,585 rubles for accommodation.
Bath Christmas Market, UK (24 November - 11 December)
The UK's largest Christmas markets are located in the beautiful historic city of Bath. Here you will find over 150 New Year's shops selling local food and handicrafts. Bath is a true New Year's shopping paradise: on Christmas Eve, the city center is transformed and attracts crowds of visitors. Last year, the largest number of visitors to the city on New Year's Eve were from the UK, Australia, the US and China.
Situated in the historic district of Bath on Belvedere Terrace, Hill House B&B is set in a building dating back to 1760. Each room is individually decorated and is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day at the Christmas market. Guests can enjoy breakfast at a large communal table in the room that was once used as a liquor store. The hotel is a 5-minute walk from the Assembly Rooms and the famous historic Roman Baths, less than 1.5 km away.
Issue price: 36 866 rubles for a ticket + 68 881 rubles for accommodation.
Vancouver Christmas Market, Canada (November 21 - December 24)
Christmas markets in Vancouver are some of the most authentic in North America. Here you will find unique gifts, entertainment for the whole family, delicious food and beautiful decorations. If you are traveling with children, take them to the Christmas carousel (one of a kind in Vancouver). Among the main guests who visited the site on New Year's Eve last year were travelers from Canada, the US, Australia and the UK.
The Rosewood Georgia Hotel is across the street from the Vancouver Art Gallery. Guests can take a dip in the indoor salt water pool, exercise room and spa. The shopping area of \u200b\u200bRobson is just a 5-minute walk away, so after a busy day you can easily return to your cozy room to sample fine local cuisine at the Bel Café Restaurant or enjoy a cocktail at the 1927 Lounge or Bar. Prohibition.
The DASKöln Appartements are just 10 minutes from Cologne Cathedral, the Christmas market and Central Station. It offers accommodation in modern rooms with stylish furnishings. Numerous restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and other shops are less than 350 meters away. The Cologne Opera can be reached in just a couple of minutes, and the Cologne Trade Fair is less than 2 km away.
Issue price: 58 182 rubles per ticket + 17 455 rubles for accommodation.
Nuremberg is the unofficial capital of Franconia (eastern Bavaria) and one of the most interesting cities in the region. It is attractive not only for tourists from abroad, but also for the Germans themselves, especially on Advent, in the period before Christmas, when the famous Christmas market with the long name Christkindlesmarkt opens on the Market Square. Up to 2 million people visit it annually, making this market one of the most famous of its kind. This year I was on New Year's holidays in Nuremberg, and I want to tell you all the most interesting about this city, continuing the series of articles on Matrona.Ru about how Christmas is celebrated in different countries of the world.
It is not known for certain when the Christkindlesmarkt appeared, but the first written evidence about it dates back to the 17th century - that is, its history goes back several centuries.
It got its name from the religious-folklore character Christkindl: the Infant (or rather the child) of Jesus. This is an analogue of Santa Claus, popular in this and neighboring regions. This image became popular during the Reformation, when the Lutheran Church fought against the cult of saints. He is assigned the function of giving gifts to children at Christmas, and he bears little resemblance to the real Jesus.
The bazaar in Nuremberg opens four weeks before Christmas with a solemn ceremony in which a teenager plays the role of "Jesus Child". This is a girl with blonde hair, wearing white and gold robes and a crown. She stands on the balcony of the Church of the Virgin Mary and reads a speech in which she invites adults to remember how they were children and greets children who are on the verge of life.
The Christmas market consists of several parts: the main part in the main square, the children's market and the sister cities market. The last one has counters with products brought from Venice, Prague, Vienna, Glasgow and other cities.
Of course, you can wander around such a bazaar for hours. Eyes diverge - there is such a variety of Christmas tree decorations, Christmas interior items, wooden nativity scenes, toys and the most unexpected things. For example, cookie cutters and woolen hot coasters. As well as handmade candles, knitted scarves and mittens, music boxes and beautiful dishes. The list can be continued as long as your imagination allows.
The bazaar also pleases with gastronomic and alcoholic delights: here you can find trays with Christmas egg liqueurs, honey wine, wine for mulled wine, not to mention a huge selection of Bavarian sausages, honey, jams. Or, for example, suddenly find a counter where you are offered to taste several dozen types of mustard. Special attention should be paid to traditional gingerbread cookies (Liebkuchen), which can be found in other places, but the Bavarians claim that this is their invention.
Mulled wine, by the way, becomes the main drink during Advent and Christmas: you can taste it literally at every step, and, I must say, it is very tasty.
The Christmas market at this time is the main attraction of Nuremberg, and you can even spend more than one day there. However, Nuremberg is famous not only for this.
Firstly, this is the city of Dürer (one of the nicknames of Nuremberg is Dürerstadt). The house in which he lived is one of the few buildings in the historic center that was hardly damaged during the bombing in 1945. Now there is a museum in which, oddly enough, there is not a single original, but perfectly executed copies of the artist's main works are presented. There is also a copy of the printing press from the time of Dürer (working!) And a possible interior of the workshop has been recreated. The exposition of the house-museum allows you to learn not only about the biography and work of the great master, but also to immerse yourself in the general context of the end of the 15th century, when the Middle Ages had already ended and the Renaissance era began with its scientific discoveries and humanism.
Secondly, there is a unique toy museum in Nuremberg. A visit to it will bring great pleasure to both adults and children (for the latter, there is a special playroom). In the museum, you can trace the evolution of toys from the 19th century to the present day. See dozens of doll houses and sets for them of forty objects, a room-sized railway, clockwork toys, constructors and dolls, miniature cities and parks.
Thirdly, we must not forget about the tragic pages of the history of this city. After all, it was Nuremberg that was the ideological center of German fascism and the place where anti-Semitic laws appeared. However, it also became the site of the final collapse of Nazi Germany thanks to the Nuremberg trials. Therefore, when visiting the city, it is impossible not to remember the Second World War. During it, among other events, many antique pieces of art and jewelry were hidden in Nuremberg.
Now the Kunstbunker (kunst - "art") is open for tourists. Built in the early 1940s, it became a hiding place for both German statues and paintings (as well as the crown and scepter of the German Empire) and stolen items exported from other cities. For example, for a huge 15th century altar from St. Mary's Church in Krakow. Now, of course, all the "trophies" stored there have been returned to their places.
Among the numerous churches in the city, three deserve special attention: the Church of the Virgin Mary, the Church of St. Sebald and St. Lawrence. All of them were badly damaged during the war and were actually rebuilt, but many interior items have survived. Nuremberg, unlike Catholic Munich, is mostly Protestant. Therefore, its churches are distinguished by austerity and relatively poor decoration, but on the outside they are beautiful Gothic buildings decorated with stone statues.
Another historical paradox is associated with the Church of the Virgin Mary (Frauenkirche). It was built in the middle of the XIV century on the site of the synagogue destroyed during the Jewish pogrom (at the same time the entire Jewish quarter was destroyed). Now the Star of David in the interior of the church and the statue of St. Edith Stein is a Christianized Jewish nun who was killed during the Holocaust.
Perhaps Nuremberg will not seem to you the most beautiful city in the world (especially if you, like me, come there in winter, when there is no snow, and black trees with lonely hanging garlands are all around). However, its historical significance, the number of museums and attractions make it, without a doubt, a must-see stop in Germany. I did not mention the Nuremberg Castle, the medieval prison near the Town Hall, the Nuremberg Trials memorial, the National Museum, which, by the way, now has a wonderful exhibition of Renaissance clothing - and this is not all that will be interesting and, perhaps, will make you return more than once.
And, of course, don't forget about hearty Bavarian meat cuisine and local beer, which is rightfully considered one of the best in the world.
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The holiday market in Nuremberg will show its guests what a traditional German Christmas is like.
The Kriskindelsmarkt Christmas market has been held annually since the 17th century in the central Haupmarkt square. Its organizers carefully preserve ancient customs. Among them, the opening ceremony, which is not hosted by Santa Claus, but the Nuremberg Christmas Angel or Kriskind. The citizens of Nuremberg believe that it is this character, whose role is played by a beautiful woman in golden robes, who gives gifts to obedient children at the end of the year.
Another Christkindlesmarkt trade fair tradition - the preparation of the Fire Tooth punch in a giant cistern - is designed for adults. But there is no entertainment program here. It is believed that noisy shows and attractions get in the way of the real Christmas spirit.
The Nuremberg Christmas market is easily recognizable by the aromas of the street food - grilled sausages, gingerbread and mulled wine. The edible souvenir Zwetschgenmännle ("Plum Man"), a small doll made of dried fruits, is worth paying attention to. In the old days, such simple gifts were given to their children by the poor, but today the "little man" has become one of the main symbols of Christmas in Nuremberg.
