TravelWorld International Magazine Winter 2023

Wandering the Christmas Markets of Dresden ... The sun will be setting pretty early in eastern Germany,
so you’ll have time explore a number of markets on any one night. Here is sampling:
Even the Dresden Church of our Lady has a
Christmas market wrapped around its perimeter.
The rotating
wooden pyramid
at the Dresden
Striezelmarkt
at Christmas is
recognized by the
Guinness Book as
the tallest in the
world at 48 feet.
This is THE market, the oldest
allegedly in the world. Yes, it has
moved around a few times over
the centuries, but you can’t beat it.
Today, it takes place on the so-called
“Altmarkt,” or Old Market Square.
City representatives say 2.5 million
people visit this market each year. The
Striezelmarkt (“Stree-tsel-mark-t”)
prides itself on its rotating wooden
Christmas pyramid, now in the
Guinness Book of World Records as
the tallest in the world at 48 feet. By
the way, Striezel used to be what the
famous fruit-and-nut-studded Stollen
cake was called. Don’t miss climbing
the tower of the Kreuzkirche (Holy
Cross Church) neighboring the market
for really spectacular views and lights
of the Striezelmarkt.
A smaller cozy affair surrounds the beloved Church of our Lady (Frauenkirche) in Dresden and extends down
a small alley. There, you’ll find traditional items in the booths, from pottery to lace. This one also has a rotating
wooden pyramid that is 26 feet high.
At the Dresden Striezelmarkt, the
oldest Christmas market in the
world, a carousel entertains kids
and adults alike.
Christmas
Therese is definitely enjoying her
bowl of wurst and kale. Mustard?
But of course!
Lou and BaaBaa tasted some
sweet, buttery, dense, fruit-studded
German Stollen cake, thought to
have been created in Dresden.
The Neumarkt Christmas market is across the square from the
Frauenkirche. This is a simple affair without carousels and pyramids.
If you head into the QF indoor shopping mall next door, you can
saunter into the Stollen Market to taste a few different varieties of the
fruit-studded, buttery German Christmas cake called Stollen. Yes, and
you can buy some, too. When in the mall, head to the Visit Dresden
store for souvenirs, brochures, and any information you need about
Dresden Christmas markets.
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So much amazing food to enjoy at
Dresden Christmas markets. Here,
spits of Mutzbraten, or roasted pork,
fill the air with wonderful aromas.
A medieval flair at the Stallhof Christmas
market sets it apart from others in Dresden.
Tucked away in a
courtyard off a side street,
the Stallhof market takes
on a medieval flair, with
vendors dressed for that
period and entertainment
emphasizing medieval
games. The enclosed
courtyard with arches is a
beautiful sight. Check on
a weekend entry fee.
In the
Stallhof
medieval
market, a
blacksmith
in
traditional
garb gives
a lesson
on working
steel over
hot coals.
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