Christkindelsmärik, Strasbourg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christkindelsmärik |
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The Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik (Place Broglie)
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| Genre | Christmas market |
| Dates | 24 November–24 December |
| Location(s) | Strasbourg, France |
| Years active | 1570–present |
| Website | Noel-Strasbourg.com |
The Christkindelsmärik is a very old and famous Christmas market. It takes place every year in Strasbourg, France. Its name means "Market of the Christ Child" in the Alsatian dialect. You can find it on the Grande Île, near the Strasbourg Cathedral and Place Kléber.
About 2 million people visit this market each year. Since high-speed trains (TGV) came to Strasbourg in 2007, even more visitors arrive. Hotels often get booked a year in advance. The market helps the city earn about 16 million Euros. It is especially famous for the wonderful smell of mulled wine (called vin chaud in French or Glühwein in German).
History of the Market
Strasbourg has held the Christkindelsmärik since 1570. This makes it one of the oldest Christmas markets in all of Europe. The name "Christkindelsmärik" comes from the Alsatian language. This was a German dialect spoken in the Alsace region until the 1900s. In some parts of Germany and Austria, Christmas markets are also called Christkindlmarkt.
The market happens every year. It usually starts around November 24th and ends on December 24th. You can find it in several main squares. These include Place Kléber, Place Broglie, and areas around the cathedral.
The Giant Christmas Tree
A very tall Christmas tree is a big part of the Christkindelsmärik. It stands in Place Kléber. This tree is always very impressive. For example, the 2010 tree was 32.5 meters tall. That's taller than many buildings around it!
Other years also had very tall trees. In 2011, 2015, and 2018, the trees were 30 meters tall. The 2019 tree was even taller than the 2010 one, reaching 35 meters. It's a true symbol of the market.
See also
