Christkindelsmärik (Alsatian dialect meaning "Market of the Christ Child") is a Christmas market held annually in Strasbourg, France, on the Grande Île, near Strasbourg Cathedral and the Place Kléber.[1][2] It draws in approximately 2 million visitors each year and since the arrival of TGV service in Strasbourg in 2007, the number of visitors has been on the rise. Hotels can be booked a year in advance and some receive between 15 and 17% of their yearly income thanks to the Christkindelsmärik's visitors.[3] It is considered one of the most famous Christmas markets throughout Europe. It is estimated that the city benefits of a 16 million Euros profit from this 38-day-long tradition. It is mostly famous for its fragrance of mulled wine (French: vin chaud; German: Glühwein).[4]
| Christkindelsmärik | |
|---|---|
 Christkindelsmärik in Place Broglie | |
| Genre | Christmas market |
| Dates | 24 November–24 December |
| Location(s) | Strasbourg, France |
| Coordinates | 49°02′13″N 7°56′37″E / 49.03691°N 7.9436°E |
| Years active | 1570–present |
| Website | Noel-Strasbourg.com |
History
editStrasbourg has been holding Christkindelsmärik around its cathedral since 1570, making it one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe.[1] The name "Christkindelsmärik" is of Alsatian origin, a low Alemannic German dialect which was the mainly spoken language in the Alsace until the 20th century. In many parts of south Germany and Austria christmas markets (German: Weihnachtsmärkte) are also called Christkind(e)l(s)markt (the spelling depends on the local dialect).
The market takes place annually, from 29 November to 31 December. It mainly takes place on Place Kléber, Place Broglie, Place du Marché aux cochons de lait and around the cathedral.
Planned bomb attack
editThere was an Al-Qaeda plan to bomb the Christmas market at the foot of the cathedral during the Christmas celebrations of 2000. This was discovered and foiled by authorities in December 2000.[5]
Shooting attack
editOn 11 December 2018, a shooting and stabbing attack occurred at the Christmas market, killing five and injuring several. The attacker, Cherif Chekatt, was injured during a shootout with French soldiers during Opération Sentinelle near the scene and shot dead by police in Strasbourg on 13 December. The incident was classified as terrorism by authorities, who identified the shooter as a known extremist who had been tagged with a fiche "S" (S file or security file), the highest warning level for French state security.[6][7][8]
The tree
edit
The Christkindelsmärik's Christmas tree, on Place Kléber, is traditionally of imposing height. Topping at 32.5 m (107 ft),[9] the 2010 tree dwarfed much of its surroundings. The trees of the following years were only slightly less conspicuous: 30 m (98 ft) in 2011,[10] 2015,[11] and in 2018;[12] 31 m (102 ft) in 2013,[13] etc. At 35 m (115 ft), the 2019 tree surpassed even its 2010 counterpart.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Noël à Strasbourg. (Unknown last update). Noël à Strasbourg. Retrieved July 08, 2007, from "Noël, à Strasbourg, le Sens du Partage". Archived from the original on 17 August 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
- ^ Noël à Strasbourg. (2007, May 31). Noël à Strasbourg, le Sens du Partage. Retrieved July 19, 2007, from "Noël, à Strasbourg, le Sens du Partage". Archived from the original on 27 July 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
- ^ Retrieved May 02, 2013, from "Strasbourg : Le marché de Noël illumine la ville - le journal du Week-end - Replay". Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ^ Retrieved May 02, 2013, from "Marché de Noël de Strasbourg : Le jackpot - Vidéo replay du journal televise : Le journal de 20h - TF1". Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ^ Der Frankfurter Al-Qaida-Prozess und das Netzwerk des Terrors[permanent dead link] (German)
- ^ Samuel, Henry; Chazan, David; Ward, Victoria (11 December 2018). "Strasbourg shooting: At least four dead, several seriously injured in attack at Christmas market - latest news". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Strasbourg Christmas market shooting: Gunman injures multiple people". www.news.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ Willsher, Kim (11 December 2018). "Strasbourg shooting: at least two killed in terrorist attack near Christmas market". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 December 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Le grand sapin trône place Kléber Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace, 8 November 2010 (in French)
- ^ "Noël : le plus grand sapin d'Europe à Strasbourg". tourmagazine.fr. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Strasbourg: Du nouveau sur le grand sapin de Noël". 20minutes.fr. 2 November 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ Audigane, Liv. "Strasbourg: le traditionnel sapin de Noël est en place, cette fois-ci ni cassé ni fissuré". bfmtv.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "Strasbourg: un sapin de 31 mètres pour le marché de Noël". lexpress.fr. 5 November 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ Thiessen, Tamara (18 December 2019). "For Me, The Strasbourg Christmas Market Is Still A Fairytale". Forbes. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
External links
edit
- Strasbourg, capitale de Noël (in French)
- Christkindelsmärik, Strasbourg, on photo-alsace.com (captions in French)
