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Franconia
Christmas Markets in Franconia
Franconia is the lesser-traveled northern part of Bavaria, generally
following the Main valley and the mountain ranges north of the Danube. It
doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves, as it has absolutely gorgeous
castles and lovely villages. Its Christmas Markets, on the other hand, get
lots of attention... especially Nuremberg's, which is the largest such Market in
all of Germany. The markets in this chapter were visited by Tom in 2002,
and we visited Nuremberg together in 2003. This is a region we hope to hit
in 2004 -- especially Rothenburg and Wuerzburg, whose markets are reknowned.
| Nuremberg
-- La pièce de resistance of all
Christmas Markets! Nuremberg's market was huge and crammed with
people, despite being hit by a driving rainstorm when Tom went in 2002
(thankfully 2003 was a little better, overcast but not raining). Nuremberg is famous for its bratwurst, which is a spicy
breakfast-sausage-sized variety of the popular German staple, and the
lebkuchen, which is a finely-ground form of fruitcake that is baked atop a
sugar wafer (helping it retain its shape). Nuremberg's
Christmas-Tree-shaped Frauenkirche adds that special 'look' to the market,
too! (The
Nuremberg travelogue is available here)
Munchies: Traditional
lebkuchen (fruit and ginger cake) and three Nuremberger bratwurste (small
pork sausages) in a bun.
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This is a popular shot of the main
market square, taken from one of the platforms on the south side.
You can see the red and white striped canopies that cover the
densely-packed wooden huts. What you can't see is the density of
people in between. |
This is a shot of the Schönenbrunnen
and the Frauenkirche at the northern entrance to the market. We took
this from a restaurant window overlooking the frenzy below.
Virtually all the restaurants had a seasonal menu... yum!
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The main square hosted
only one of several Markets, each of which had a distinctive flavor and
purpose. Plus, as this shot shows, huts also lined along the streets
in between, especially along Koenigstrasse, the main street connecting the
city across the river.
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When you cross the river and turn
right, you will encounter the Kinderweihnacht, which is a whole Market for the
kiddies. It had all the rides -- carousel, ferris
wheel, train rides -- plus all the usual foodstuffs and mulled wine
(including options for kiddie-portions). A large number of families
endured the rain to partake in the festivities.
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The Handwerkerhof at the base of the
Koenigstor was also home to a special Market, this one for locally
produced handcrafted or antique items. This tiny tucked away square
at the city's southeast must be sought out, even if the crowds are a tight
fit.
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The base of the Rathaus square is also
home to a specialized market, this one celebrating Christmas as held in
all of Nuremberg's many partner cities. Each hut sells ethnic wares
from the various countries represented, which come from all around the
world.
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| Rothenburg
ob der Tauber -- Rothenburg is one
of Germany's most visited (and most festive) locations. However its
Christmas Market, called the Alt-Rothenburg Reiterleinmarkt, is among the
smaller events hosted in this city, designed primarily for the
locals. Unlike its other festivals that make use of its main
cobblestone streets, this event concentrates in the small maze-like
section of tiny streets near the Cathedral. With all the main stores
still open seven days a week (especially Rothenburg's famous Kaethe
Wohlfahrt Christmas chain), this is a Christmas location not to miss. (The
Rothenburg travelogue is available here)
Munchies: Waffle
topped with (huge mounds of) whipped cream and blueberry sauce.
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We must have over a
dozen shots in our library of the Rathaus square facing the old and new
town halls. The entrance to the Christmas Market is in the back, but
this square was still used for lively Christmas music and traditional
dance.
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Using the
lesser-traveled older sections of the city, the Rothenburg market draws
people to parts they might not ordinarily go. The wares sold are
very international, but there was plenty of gluehwein and other warming
concotions available.
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| Bamberg
-- Bamberg was one of Tom's favorite stops
during the early days of his travel hobby, and was one of the inspirations
for trying to build a website in the first place! Residing on a
series of islands on the Main-Donau Kanal Regnitz, Bamberg is a beautiful
city with an Imperial Holy Roman past, but nowadays is better known for
its Franconian friendliness. It's Christmas Market is very charming. (The
Bamberg travelogue is available here)
Munchies: Waffle
topped with (huge mounds of) whipped cream and blueberry sauce.
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The bulk of the market is on the
Maximilianplatz in the middle of the island city, or Inselstadt.
Here you see the city hall with its colorful flags in the
background. The huts were arranged in long rows like the ones you
see here.
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A number of cities like to include
their own interpretation of the Nativity, and include it as a centerpiece
of their Market. (Most of them were 'artistic', which was
euphemistic for 'cheap and awful'.) Bamberg's interpretation was
absolutely wonderful, very 18th Century with the Franconian-Swabian style
half-timber house and colonial-dressed Holy Family.
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| Fürth (Bayern)--
The city of Fürth has the unfortunate problem of being utterly in the
shadow of its big neighbor, Nuremberg. However, Fürth has a lot of
attractive architecture and activity all its own, and its Christmas Market
was certainly on par with many other smaller cities. People looking
to escape the massive throngs of visitors to Nuremberg needed only take an
eight-minute train ride west. Munchies: Hungarian
fried dough with garlic sauce brushed on and topped with mozzarella.
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What was most interesting about the
Fürther Weihnachtsmarkt was the way it was constructed -- something that
can't be seen in the photographs Tom took. Unlike most, that were
built in rows of huts or a simple-to-navigate grid, the interior of this market was a maze, clearly
designed so that when you entered one side and exited the other, you were
sure to pass by every single hut. Clever! |
This horse drawn
carriage ran a route through parts of the Market, then around the entire
old town. It was always packed full whenever it passed Tom.
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