Christmas in Berlin
Christm,as market at the Charlottenburg palace
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The capital of Christmas markets
This year, there are once again over sixty Christmas markets and fairs to see, some with an introspective and dreamlike atmosphere, others lively and urbane. Whether on the large boulevards and squares or on small side-streets, and even in some museums, they will surprise visitors with their festivity, charm, and the special wares offered. In addition to the traditional markets with carefully decorated booths and high-quality handcrafted articles arrayed against magnificent backdrops, there are also special attractions to discover, such as the Hanukkah Market in the Jewish Museum, which combines Christian and Jewish traditions. The WinterMagic period is like a pyrotechnic display of a broad range of Berlin culture, a breathtaking spectacle for many during the Christmas season.
Because of construction work at the Schlossplatz, the Christmas market there has been compelled to move. The “Christmas in Berlin” fair (Berliner Weihnachtszeit) will now be staged with a fresh layout at its new location in front of the Rotes Rathaus. In the heart of the city at the foot of the Berlin Television Tower, the reorganized fair will enchant visitors with market streets reminiscent of Berlin’s early days, modeled on those of the Nikolai Quarter, a winter wonderland at the Neptunbrunnen (Neptune Fountain) with an open-air ice rink and stage, and a market square next to the Marienkirche church with artisans, merchants, and food vendors.
Christmas at the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden
The beautiful cluster of buildings of the Kulturbrauerei with its two large courtyards is an ideal setting for a romantic Christmastime – right in the middle of the city. The lavishly decorated and ornamented buildings of red and yellow clinker bricks with their cast columns, underpitch vaults, and stone slab roofs evoke the industrial architecture of the nineteenth century. In this castle-like ambience of the old brick buildings of the Kulturbrauerei, the stands of the Christmas market convey quite an enchanting atmosphere. One unique feature here is the art object “Open-Air-Mantel-Heizung” (Open-Air Overcoat Heating System). Five spots have been arranged where guests can warm themselves up. Heat is supplied by an old-fashioned wood stove, and visitors who feel cold can don the fur coats that are waiting ready and warm.
In Charlottenburg as well, the Advent season offers remarkable atmosphere. Charlottenburg Palace, one of the best-known palaces in Germany, offers an imposing baroque location for a truly impressive Christmas market: an inspired mixture of artisans, providers of luxurious Christmastide catering and cultural events, and historic carnival rides. The sumptuous lighting design of the Christmas market with older trees and almost fifty extra illuminated Christmas trees creates an extraordinary atmosphere.
Christmas market at the Opernpalais
Christmas fair in front of the Opernpalais
The nostalgic Christmas fair in front of the Opernpalais in the Mitte district once again provides a charming experience amidst a group of historically notable buildings. It includes an original platform carousel from 1901, a Ferris wheel from 1926, a Christmas bakery.
The “WeihnachtsZauber” (Christmas Magic) fair at Gendarmenmarkt in front of the Konzerthaus has now become a worldwide hallmark of the WinterMagic festival. This year, for the first time, it will feature the “2008WeihnachtsZauber Musical” performed daily on the main stage. The New Year’s gala with a fireworks display from the roof of the Konzerthaus will of course once again be a highlight this year.
Christmas Shopping in Berlin
Berlin means variety – and not just in the areas of culture, architecture, hotels, and dining. When it comes to shopping, the metropolis is unbeatable – especially during the holiday season. What better idea than to take a trip to Berlin to shop for gifts and then to lay the loveliest mementoes of the city under the tree for loved ones?
One fine address for shopping, for example, is the shop “Sieben Wünsche” [“Seven Wishes”] (Tucholskystr. 45, D-10117 Berlin) which guarantees that no wish will be left unfulfilled. In addition to top-quality articles for the desk, visitors can also discover unusual gifts for the little ones here. How would they like a rattle made of fabric – of course in the shape of the Television Tower? Or would they prefer a book in which they can color the Berlin Zoo, the Reichstag, and the man selling currywurst?
And speaking of coloring: gifts that you can actually put your hands on are quite the trend these days. That has also been realized by the two owners of the shop “Berliner Luft” [“Air of Berlin”] (Kopenhagener Str. 64, D-10437 Berlin), who are offering build-it-yourself Berlin. Whether it is Checkpoint Charlie, the Reichstag, or the Victory Column – nearly all of the famous sights worth seeing can be purchased here as paper models and then assembled.
Souvenirs that will resonate with any young person who is interested in clubbing may be found at the Berlin workshop store Ährenkranz [“Garland of Grain”] (Torstr. 101, D-10119 Berlin). That is where you can get the “Berghain”, the “Tresor”, or the “Arena” made out of leather – a fashionable handbag that is fastened to the wrist and is branded with the name of the popular club.
Anyone who, after an adventuresome visit to the capital city, gets the particular desire to immediately bring home the “scent of Berlin” with them only needs to visit the Galeries Lafayette (Friedrichstr, 76-78, D-10117 Berlin). That is where the aptly named perfume (“Breath of Berlin”) is available, for both men and women. It of course comes in a lovely flask made of glass in the shape of Berlin’s famed Television Tower.
And here’s a hint for procuring those holiday gifts: the shopping in Berlin is particularly good on the weekends of December 3-4 and 17-18, because that is when stores throughout the city will be open on Sundays from 1:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.