Nuremberg · Germany
Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt
27 Nov – 24 Dec 2026 Official
Official websiteDates and hours may change. Check them on the market's official site.
| City | Nuremberg |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| Location | Hauptmarkt, Nürnberg |
| Dates | 27 Nov – 24 Dec 2026 Official |
| Opening hours | Daily 10:00–21:00; 24 Dec 10:00–14:00 (official site) |
| Official website | Official website |
| Map pin | 49.45394, 11.07727. Approximate location from the sources used for this page. |
The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt fills the Hauptmarkt, the central square of the walled old town, together with adjoining squares and lanes, for the whole of Advent. Its exact origins are unknown, even after much research by historians. The oldest known evidence is a small wooden box held by the Germanic National Museum, inscribed in 1628 as a gift sent to the 'Kindles-Marck', which shows the market already existed by the early seventeenth century. Today it ranks among the largest Christmas markets in Germany and is widely known abroad, with roughly two million visitors each year. Traditionally it opens on the Friday before the opening Sunday of Advent and closes on Christmas Eve. The opening is marked by a prologue spoken by the Nuremberg Christkind, a figure who represents the market. Stalls sell food, drink and seasonal goods against the backdrop of the Frauenkirche and the Schöner Brunnen fountain on the square. For 2026 the official site gives opening hours of 10:00–21:00 daily, with a short opening on Christmas Eve.
Sources: Wikipedia · Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Traditions and specialities
The market's figurehead is the Christkind (Christ Child), played by a young local woman in white and gold with a golden crown. Since 1969 she has been chosen every two years from Nuremberg girls aged 16 to 19, and she opens the market with a prologue from the Frauenkirche balcony.
Source: Wikipedia · Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
The Christkind's speech was written by Friedrich Bröger for the first post-war market in 1948. It welcomes "the ladies and gentlemen who were once children" and contrasts the temporary "little city of wood and cloth" with lasting traditions.
Source: Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Honey-and-spice cakes related to gingerbread. Lebkuchen bakers are recorded in Nuremberg from 1395, and since 1996 'Nürnberger Lebkuchen' has been a protected designation that must be baked within the city. The flour-light Elisenlebkuchen type must contain at least 25% nuts.
Source: Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Little figures made from decorated dried plums. They are one of the classic stalls at German Christmas markets, alongside nutcrackers and candied almonds.
Source: Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Hot spiced wine, the signature drink of European Christmas markets. Spiced, heated wine goes back to Roman times.
Source: Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
small grilled sausages, often served three in a roll ('Drei im Weggla').
Source: Wikipedia · christkindlesmarkt.de. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
little figures made from dried prunes, a traditional market souvenir.
Source: Wikipedia · christkindlesmarkt.de. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Nuremberg is Bavaria's second-largest city and the heart of the Franconia region, with about 546,000 people on the river Pegnitz. First recorded in 1050, it grew up around an imperial castle and became one of the most important cities of the Holy Roman Empire. Imperial diets were often held here, and the Imperial Regalia were kept in the city from 1424 until the empire ended.
In the late Middle Ages and Renaissance it was a centre of art, printing and science, linked with Albrecht Dürer, Martin Behaim, Johann Pachelbel and Hans Sachs. Its 20th-century history includes the Nazi rallies and, after the war, the Nuremberg trials.
Nuremberg Airport, Bavaria's second-busiest, serves the city, and it is a major transport hub for northern Bavaria. In winter the old town, the castle above it and the Germanic National Museum make easy additions to a market visit.
Sources: Wikipedia · Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
AIA Labs publishes this page as an independent guide. It is not the market's own website.