This market event was first mentioned in 1434, under Friedrich II, Elector of Saxony, when it was held the Monday before Christmas on the Altmarkt square. Originally, it was a one-day market to provide the citizens of Dresden with the meat for the Christmas meal after the pre-Christmas period of fasting. Over the centuries the Striezelmarkt has developed into a huge event with 240 stands, taking up a large part of Dresden city centre and lasting throughout the Advent period until Christmas Eve. Today the Striezelmarkt attracts 3 million visitors a year from all over the world. The word Striezelmarkt comes from Strüzel or Stroczel, which was the name of a type of cake sold at the market, now famous as Stollen or Christstollen. Stollen is a light airy fruitcake which is quite low in sugar, today available in many parts of the world. The true Dresden Stollen, however, is produced in the city and distinguished by a special seal depicting the city's famous king, August the Strong. The shape of the cake is meant to be reminiscent of the entrance to a mine tunnel reflecting the area's silver and tin mining history.
Features of today's Striezelmarkt
Today the most famous features of Dresden Striezelmarkt are the world's largest usable Christmas arch with a breadth of and a height of more than and the high Erzgebirge Christmas pyramid. Situated on the Dresden Striezelmarkt is a children’s adventure world. Here, the prune chimney sweep’s cottage and the bakery are open for kneading and arts and crafts. Furthermore, there is the puppet theatre, merry-go-round and a children’s railway. On the Dresden Striezelmarkt a daily stage programme takes place. On the Advent weekends are special events like Dresden Stollen Festival and Pyramid and Christmas Arch Festival. At the centre of the Striezelmarkt stands a high spruce, brought from the nearby Tharandt woods and decorated with lights. At the back of the market square there is a painted wooden fairy-tale castle which is also a giant Advent calendar. A door is opened every day by children's entertainers, with a puppet show, and on Fridays there is a visit by Father Christmas himself.
