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"In the middle of Dresden’s gorgeous altstadt (old town), featuring the world’s largest rotating wooden Christmas pyramid, the Striezelmarkt has been an annual tradition since 1434 — it’s considered Germany’s oldest Christmas market. “Striezel” comes from an old-fashioned word for the dense, enriched, yeasted loaf we know as Stollen , suggesting how seriously this cultural hub takes its fruitcake. In fact, Dresdner Christstollen is a protected product, and in early December a massive version of the Christmas bread, weighing hundreds of pounds, gets paraded through the city before being ceremonially sliced during the Stollen Festival. Pair a rich, almondy slice with Eierpunsch, a boozy eggnog concoction. This area also has many unique handicrafts, often inspired by the former mines of the nearby Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains), from incense smokers to the candle arch called a Schwiboggen." - Adam H. Callaghan
Historic market since 1434, famed for stollen, crafts, & festive rides
Altmarkt, 01067 Dresden, Germany Get directions