Christmas shopping takes on a whole new meaning in Switzerland!
When I told my friends and family that I would be in Switzerland over the holidays, many replied with ohhhhhhhhh, you'll be there for the Christmas Markets!!! I could only imagine what this meant.
That was, until I first entered the Zurich Main (train) Station on my very first day in Switzerland. As Doug and I exited the train and walked towards the center of the station you could feel the excitement in the air. We turned the corner and I got my first sight of Europe's largest indoor Christmas Market. It was being set up, but you could see the beginnings of a specular exhibition.
Thousands of fairly white lights, the enticing aroma of Glühwein (mulled wine), pastries/cookies and many many items to be purchased.
Zurich's Main Station (Hauptbahnhof) accommodates more than 160 wooden chalets- a great source of inspiration for gifts. There was a 50 ft. Christmas tree decorated with over 5,000 Swarovski Crystal Ornaments. There were new smells, handmade crafts, trinkets, foods, and fantastic people-watching.
What I didn't know, but would soon learn was that this was just the first of many Christmas Markets that I would be exploring during the weeks prior to Christmas Day.
A 'typical' Christmas market consists of numerous stalls on the streets and squares of a place, often before the historic backdrop. There are Christmas baked goods such as print gingerbread, Christstollen, various sweets such as chocolate figurines, candy floss, roasted almonds, hot roasted chestnuts and hot meals are offered. The wooden chalets sell Christmas items, jewelry, tinsel, nativity scenes, candles, carved nutcrackers, knitted items, and much more.
The history of Christmas markets goes back to the late Middle Ages in the German speaking part of Europe. The Dresden Christmas market was first held in 1434. In many communities Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market or Weihnachtsmarkt. In Switzerland, I've been told, the Christmas market idea is comparatively new, introduced just 30 years ago, but none the less wonderful.
Poster for the Meilener Weinachtsmarkt
(the subject of a future blog posting)
Below is a list of the Christmas Markets I had the opportunity to visit during the holidays.
- Christkindlimärt Rapperswil-Jona - a wonderful market at the base of the Capuchin monastery in Rapperswil ... December 1 - 14
- Einsiedler Weihnachtmarkt - in front of the Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln ... November 29th - December 8th
- Meilener Weinachtsmarkt - a small community southeast of Zurich on the "gold coast" of Lake Zurich ... November 30th
- Zurcher Christmas Market der Altstadt - throughout the cobblestone streets of old town Zurich ... December 8 - 23rd
- Winterthur Christmas Market - throughout the meandering streets of Winterthur ... December 2 - 23rd
- Berner Weihnachtmarkt - is held on the square inside the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed old town with its cobblestone streets
So ... what do they look like?? Below are just 3 of the nearly 250 photos that Doug and I took of the various Christmas markets we enjoyed.
The Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich ... one of the world's most expensive and exclusive shopping areas.
Looking up towards the Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln with their
Christmas Market in the foreground.
Christkindlimärt in Rapperswil. This was one of my favorite backdrops for a Swiss Christmas Market, and a spectacular one at that.
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