A Christmas Market straight out of the Middle Ages, in a knights’ tournament ground in Dresden….
Dresden is home to the annual Striezelmarkt, one of the most famous Christmas Markets in Europe. We visited the city at the start of the New Year, over a week after the Striezelmarkt had finished for the season, only to chance upon one of the best Christmas Markets we had ever visited.
Christmas Markets tend to finish in Germany before Christmas itself, so we weren’t expecting anything. Instead we found the Dresden Medieval Christmas Market, in the Stallhof courtyard of Dresden Castle.
We were blown away by this atmospheric Medieval Market, and urge you to go out of your way to see it. In this guide I run through everything you need to know about it – where it is, when it’s held, and what to see there.
There is a good choice of food stalls at the Market, and the most popular of these was the Thuringian bratwurst stall. The team were great, hailing every serving of a sausage with a cheer in unison. They also served steaks and wild boar. The queue was long, the food superb and worth it.
You’ll also find plenty to drink. Apple punch was a particular favourite, but there are all kinds of alcoholic concoctions to try, with spicy punches and a whole range of glühwein.
The Rauhnächte are a little different. The name means ‘smoky nights’, when people would burn incense (you can smell plenty of it in the Stallhof!) to ward off the devil and spirits of the dead, who were believed to return at this time of year. Another possible meaning of the Rauhnächte name is ‘rough nights’ – named after the rough (rau) animal skins worn by the tormenting devils.
The Dresden Rauhnächte have all the Christmas attractions and a few extras. These include fortune tellers and a couple of slightly scary monsters wandering about the place. There are also storytelling performances, though you’ll need more than a decent knowledge of German to understand it all!
You can also dress up in knights’ armour, or have a go at archery – small groups pay €6 per person for this.
The tables in the arcaded area of the Stallhof are a great place to stop by to eat your food, and savour the sights and smells for a while.
There is also a hot tub where groups can relax with a view of the Market. You have to book this in advance.
Dresden Medieval Christmas Market Dates
In 2024, the Medieval Christmas Market will be held from 27th November to 23rd December.
It will then continue after Christmas, with the Rauhnächte, the twelve days of Christmas. These run from Christmas Day to January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, and the visit of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.
The Stallhof Market is open from 27th to 30th December (11.0 am to 9.30 pm), and again from January 2nd to 6th 2025 (11.00 am to 8.00 pm daily).
Stallhof Christmas Market Festival – Location
The Stallhof is part of Dresden Castle, also known as the Dresden Royal Palace or Residenzschloss.
There are two entrances to the Stallhof. The first is on the corner of Augustusstrasse, Topferstrasse and Brühlsche Gasse. The other is under the Georgentor, one of the Castle gates, which you can access either via Augustusstrasse or Schlossstrasse.
The Dresden Medieval Christmas Market website can be found here.
Other Dresden Christmas Markets
The most popular Christmas Market in Dresden is the Striezelmarkt. It’s the oldest Christmas Market in Germany, having been held in the Altmarkt square since 1434. There are a huge range of food and handicraft stalls, and a 14-metre-high step pyramid with a candle arch at the top. You can also get a great view of the Striezelmarkt from the top of the old ferris wheel.
The Stallhof Advent Market is a few steps from the Neumarkt Christmas Market. This is one of the best squares in Dresden for such an event, because of the gorgeous backdrop, the Baroque Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). This Market runs into the New Year, from 27th November 2024 to 5th January 2025. It’s much smaller – and not as good as the Striezelmarkt, but the setting is better.
More Things To Do In Dresden
The other side of the wall from the Stallhof is the famous Fürstenzug, on Augustusstrasse. This mural, made from over 24,000 pieces of Meissen porcelain, depicts the history of the Wettin dynasty that ruled Saxony for several hundred years.
The Stallhof is also very close to several other famous Dresden landmarks. In one direction, it’s a three-minute walk to the Frauenkirche, the Baroque masterpiece that was the final component of the famous Dresden skyline to be completed in 2005.
Another of the finest churches in Dresden, the Catholic Cathedral or Hofkirche, can be found at the end of the Fürstenzug. From there you can walk around to the main entrance to Dresden Castle and its exhibition rooms, including the Historic Green Vault (Grünes Gewolbe). It’s also very close to the Zwinger Palace – check out my guide to its highlight, visiting Dresden Old Masters Gallery.
Dresden makes an outstanding base for exploring Saxony and also forays across the border into the Czech Republic. Check out my guide to the best day trips from Dresden, and my wider-ranging feature on the best places to visit in eastern Germany.
Where To Stay In Dresden
Dresden is one of the best cities to visit in Germany, and has a huge range of places to stay to suit all budgets.
The 5-star Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe makes a wonderful base for exploring the Dresden Christmas Markets. It’s on the Neumarkt, just across the square from the Frauenkirche, and the Market stays open there into January. It’s also a three-minute stroll from the Medieval Market on the Stallhof.
I also recommend the NH Collection Dresden Altmarkt – 4-star luxury across the narrow street from one of the finest churches in Dresden (the Kreuzkirche), and a minute’s walk rom the Altmarkt, where the Striezelmarkt is held.
The Star G Hotel Premium Dresden Altmarkt is even closer – it overlooks the Altmarkt and Striezelmarkt. You just couldn’t get a better location. This 3-star Hotel is also right next to tram stops, and only 5 minutes’ walk from the Frauenkirche or Stallhof Christmas Market.
We stayed at the Meininger Hotel Dresden Zentrum, a friendly 3-star hotel very close to Dresden’s main train station. It’s a short tram ride or 15-minute walk to the Frauenkirche and the Medieval Dresden Christmas Market in the Stallhof. And it’s a great base if you’re planning to use Dresden as a base to explore the region.
The Ibis Budget Dresden City is one of the best budget options in Dresden. You know what you’re getting when you stay in an Ibis Budget, wherever you are in the world – small but sufficient rooms, and, as here, a good central location. In this case you’re only five minutes’ walk from the Zwinger Palace or Stallhof, and 7-8 minutes from the Frauenkirche.
How To Get To Dresden
Dresden is easy to reach. It has a small airport, as does its near-neighbour Leipzig an hour away. But most visitors get to Dresden by train or bus from elsewhere in Germany or Central Europe, usually flying into Berlin or Prague.
Dresden is roughly halfway between these two capital cities – two hours from Berlin by train or bus, and 2 ½ hours by train or 2 hours by bus from Prague. Check out my Prague to Dresden article the full lowdown on how to travel between these two great cities.
Dresden Medieval Christmas Market – Final Thoughts
We’ve visited many Christmas Markets around Europe, and all agreed that this is one of the very best of them.
What we loved about it was the authentic, homespun feel. We felt like we had been transported back hundreds of years, with the aromas of hearty food and mulled wine, and the cold, crisp taste of pilsner bringing us back night after night.
I’ve written several more guides to Christmas markets in Europe. For a general overview, take a look at my article on the Best Christmas Cities in Europe.
Less than three hours down the tracks from Dresden, we spent several years visiting our hometown Prague Christmas Markets. The setting for the main one, on the Old Town Square, is incomparable, even if it is very overpriced for locals.
At the other end of the country I also recommend the Brno Christmas Market – the Moravian capital is at its enchanting best in the winter months.
Further south, the Vienna Christmas Markets are outstanding, each with a wonderful setting around the old Imperial city.
And the Zagreb Christmas Markets are a wonderful introduction to the Croatian capital, a slow burner that I rate among the most underrated European cities.
And finally, for a very different Christmas in Europe, take a look at my short story, A Czech Country Christmas, which describes our December in a small and completely beguiling Czech country town.
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