VIENNA CHRISTMAS MARKET 🇦🇹 2023 Walking Tour | ▶2.5hrs [4K/60fps, Immersive Sound, Captions]
Welcme to Vienna! We begin our tour of the city’s Christmas markets at the Vienna City Hall. The long history of Vienna’s Christmas markets goes back to 1296, when the city was granted the right to hold a “December market”.
Actual Christmas markets were first held in the 17th century, first on Graben and at the Cathedral. Later they were moved to the Freyung and Am Hof squares.
Ever since 1975 the main venue is held in the park in front of City Hall. There are also several other Christmas markets throughout the city. In this walk we will check out the 5 that are in the historic center.
Visitors to this venue are greeted by a giant fairy tale carousel, popular with younger and older children alike. Christmas markets in German territories are called Christkindlmarkt – or Christ child markets. The spectacular gates of the fair, with the Imperial Court Theater in the background. Lights are turned on at 3:30 PM.
There is a plethora of food and drink at the Christmas festival. This stall sells pretzels, an all time favorite, and various pastries.
Handicrafts are also a staple. This stall sells Nativity Scenes. Some are ready made, complete with stable and manger. You can also buy the individual Biblical figures and build your own Nativity Scene.
Most if not all of these figurines are handmade. The craftsmanship is amazing! If you wish to save money, you can buy these unpainted ones, and finish them yourself. I must be so fascinating…
If you need decorations, this is the place to be. Have you ever seen so many globes? A hundred Christmas trees could be decorated just using these globes. And this is only one stall.
The craftsmanship is again over the top. I like these classical ones with the red, blue and gold colors. Each one has a unique design. Also notice the effort that went into arranging the space. I see something interesting across the alley…
A figurine puffing out steam! They sell handmade toys and decorations here. For 2.20 euros they’re not even expensive.
The imposing Vienna City Hall was built between 1872 and 1883 in Neo-Gothic style. It measures 152 m (500 ft) by 127 m (417 ft), and has 1575 rooms. The tower is 98 m (322 ft) tall.
Its construction was part of the large development project associated with the building of the Ring Road. The Parliament, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum were built at the same time.
Mulled wine, called Glühwein in German is the most prominent drink during Christmas. Mulled wine is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, aniseed, orange, sugar and at times vanilla pods.
The word Glühwein translates as “glow wine” because the beverage will make you feel lit from within. Judging from these ancient brass boilers, the tradition goes back a long way. Punch is also popular. Punch is made of wine, sugar, orange, cinnamon, chocolate, and marzipan. There is also a non-alcoholic variant for children, called Kinderpunch.
The Christmas market at City Hall is famous for its immense ice skating rink. Let’s go and check it out! The ice rink spans a huge area, covering almost a third of the park. Although many Christmas festivals have an ice rink, this is surely the most elaborate of all.
Oh no! Looks like they are doing maintenance right now… But that side is still open! I told you it was large. There are a few good skaters… There comes the champion! No, not him! We’ll return here later, once the maintenance is concluded. That tree is decorated with heart-shaped lanterns. Looks cool.
Lebkuchen – a form of gingerbread are the most traditional snacks during Christmas. They were invented in the 13th century in Nuremberg, and have been sold at Christmas markets ever since. The ingredients usually include honey, aniseed, ginger, almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, or candied fruit.
Wow! These models are so impressive! Now I want to get one of those CNC lathes… Because of course these were not handmade, but they still look fantastic. There’s still so much to see here… This appears to be the favorite selfie spot here.
There are crowds here, but it’s not exactly overcrowded. Lots of friendly people and good energy. This is the Nativity Scene. It looks like a lot of work went into it. It shows the Baby Jesus in the manger, Joseph, Mary, the Three Magi, sheep and the Star of Bethlehem.
Oh wait, there appear to be two extra characters… I think they might be angels, but I’m not sure.
Another mulled wine and punch stall. The way it works is that you pay a deposit and get a mug. After you’re done, you can return the mug and get your deposit back, or you can just keep the mug as a souvenir.
Let’s check out the ice rink again. Maybe we can see something interesting this time. The little girl is our new champion. Back to the market. We still have the other side of the park to explore, and afterwards 4 more Christmas markets across the city.
More Lebkuchen… By the way the word doesn’t translate as “love cookies”, but more like “life cookies” (leben = to live; lieben = to love)). Nobody knows why though… Are those candles? I’m not sure. But that one in the middle sure is big!
That’s all salt apparently… The lady is a bit salty too, I won’t bother her. They have been in business since 1888. A nice round date. Sweet people selling the sweets, salty people selling salt…
After I finished filming I had to queue up for 20 minutes for a langos. And it cost an arm and a leg (10 euros). But at least it was good. Langos, like chimney cake is a Hungarian dish. Those appear to be water pipes (hookahs) with very unique designs.
Now that’s original! Which smirk would fit you? Now let’s go see the other side. I like this enchanted forest look. Round and round goes the Santa train…
That looks more like proper chimney cake. They should spin at a slow and constant speed, the dough should be thin, uniform, and there should be no gaps between the coils. Friendly Czech people. They think I’m the TV. The tree with the hearts.
Classical ferris wheel in the enchanted forest. I like the open design, it gives an “old world” feeling. Much better than the ones with enclosed cabins. It’s hard to walk away from here. This is my favorite spot. City Hall looks like a fairy tale castle when seen from here.
One last look, then we are off to see the other four Christmas markets. What can I say? This was an amazing experience, but there is still a lot more to come.
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The Burgtheater (or Imperial Court Theater) was built in 1888. It was part of the large scale Neoclassical building project at the end of the 19th century, that followed the demolition of Vienna’s fortifications. This is how the Christmas market at City Hall looks like from afar. It’s huge and it’s beautiful.
On to our next destination, the Christmas market at Freyung Square. You may skip ahead, or you may follow along as we dash there at a brisk pace.
We are almost there. Freyung is a triangular square in the historic center. It’s name comes from the Monastery that stood here, that had certain freedoms. Frey means free in German.
The Christmas market at Freyung goes back a long way. The first ones were held here in the 17th century. The sign says: “Old Vienna Christmas Market”. Food and drink and gifts and decorations… Everything we would expect. And some gilded angels on the ceiling. The sign says “Emperor of Cheese”. Glowing mug lanterns…?
I love these paper lanterns. You can fold them up when not in use. A Nativity Scene DIY stall. And live music by the sound of it. It makes for a very nice atmosphere. Now you will get the urge to hum along…
The Christmas globe hut… I’m trying not to knock something over. Looks lovely! Have some sausage with your Lebkuchen! Why not. This appears to be the organic food row. That’s what we call bacon in Europe! Very impressive ceramics. I like the pointed shoes. Which ones would you buy?
This was a nice little market, with a surprising variety and nice music. Now on to our next destination at the Am Hof Square. It’s not far, you can already see it.
Am Hof (or At the Court Square) is the oldest public square in Vienna. It was part of the Roman military camp, then the seat of the dukes of Austria during the 12th century. Medieval jousts and fairs were held here. Mozart first played here.
Another stall selling these fascinating wooden models. You can see on the poster where to buy them. The models come as DIY kits and they aren’t even that expensive.
Nougat is a family of confections made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts, whipped egg whites, and sometimes chopped candied fruit. How long would it take you to eat that? Am Hof is normally populated by antiques sellers like this one during the year.
Ah finally! An original Transylvanian chimney cake seller! This crew is from Sibiu/Nagyszeben. Just look at that consistency and smoothness of the coils. This is how it’s done! The original Hungarian name of chimney cake is Kürtőskalács. The Marian Column was built in the 17th century to mark a victory over marauding Swedes.
The langos looks good too. This is how it’s made: small balls of dough are flattened, then fried in hot oil, to be served with sour cream, garlic, cheese and bacon. I feel like these flowerpots are staring at me… Interesting concept. It’s always beer o’clock here.
The state radio station is apparently selling punch and sandwiches. Well this was fun too. Am Hof Christmas market seems to be focused on arts and crafts, with a surprising variety of original works, and some solid food to keep you going. Definitely worth a visit.
Now on to the two most famous shopping streets of Vienna, the Kohlmarkt and the Graben, and then to the Cathedral, where we will check out the 4th Christmas market. If you think these hanging decorations are awesome, get ready for your mind to be blown. The ones down the road are 10x as impressive.
Voila! The Graben to our left, the Kohlmarkt to our right. All the women are different. A very tasteful building. First we will walk along Kohlmarkt Street, to see what’s up at the Hofburg.
Kohlmarkt (or Cabbage Market) is part of the “Golden U” group of pedestrianized shopping streets together with Carinthia Street and Graben. It’s history goes back to Roman times when it led to the Limes Road.
During the Middle Ages it was first known as the Witmarkt (or Wood Market), as firewood was sold here. Later it became the Kohlenmarkt (or Coal Market) when charcoal was sold on the street.
As the Habsburg court moved to the nearby Hofburg, the charcoal sellers were displaced by artisans catering to the imperial court. Famous composers Haydn and Chopin once lived here.
Over time Kohlenmarkt became Kohlmarkt (or Cabbage Market), even though no cabbage was ever sold here. Today Kohlmarkt is the most expensive street in Austria, being home to many international fashion brads. Now reaching Michaelerplatz (or St. Michael’s Square) and the Hofburg. The Hofburg has been the royal residence since the 13th century.
This part of the Imperial Palace was built in the 19th century between 1889 and 1893. In past years there used to be a small Christmas market on the square, but this year it’s gone. Nothing to see on Michaelerplatz, so let’s zip back to the other end so we can explore the Graben.
There’s an amazing density of luxury shops here. Now we turn onto the Graben. Let the images speak for themselves. This seems to be where the party’s at. Kiwanis is a charitable organization. Here you can get drunk for a good cause!
Graben is probably the most frequented shopping street in Vienna. Its name literally means “ditch”. Before the 12th century the ancient walls of the city stretched on our left, and the defensive ditch lay where the street is today.
The Saint Joseph Fountain was built in the 17th century. It has a counterpart further down the street.
When a new wall was built, the ditch was filled in and a new street, the Graben sprung up. Due to its width, Graben was used throughout the Middle Ages as a marketplace. Gradually it was transformed into a sumptuous promenade.
Saint Peter’s Church is a Baroque church built in the 18th century, currently used by the Opus Dei.
Most of the buildings on the Graben date from the 19th and 20th centuries, when the whole street was rebuilt. Since the 1970s it has been pedestrianized and is now home to luxury shops, and upscale restaurants and cafes.
The 17th century Plague Column is the main attraction of the Graben. Plague columns were very common in Central Europe, erected in gratitude by the survivors. The column was unveiled in 1694, so it also coincided with the defeat of the Ottomans.
Numerology runs throughout the monument: there are 3 faces decorated by the coats of arms of the Habsburg provinces; the bottom part is dedicated to people praying for salvation; the middle to angels interceding on their behalf; and the top to the Holy Trinity.
The Saint Leopold fountain built at the behest of Emperor Leopold I, depicting Austria’s patron saint who also happens to be called Leopold… The majestic tower of the Cathedral emerges from behind the buildings…
Saint Stephens Cathedral is situated on St. Stephen’s Square. It is the greatest landmark and largest church in Vienna. It measures 107 m (351 ft) by 40 m (128 ft), with a height of 136 m (448 ft).
Its origins go back to the 12th century when a Romanesque church that was much smaller was built on the site of a Roman cemetery.
The two smaller towers in the front, that are calle the Roman Towers, because they were built using stones scavenged from Roman ruins are all that remain from this first church. The rest of the was rebuilt in the 13th century also in Romanesque style.
The Cathedral in its current Gothic form was built between 1304 and 1511. Two great towers were planned, but as Gothic style was going out of fashion, the northern tower was never completed and stands at 68 m.
Now on to the Christmas market. This one seems a bit crowded. No wonder given its central location. Lots of food and drink stalls so far, as well as gifts and souvenirs…. Generic stuff, but of good quality. I can’t see if the chimney cake passes the mark…
A gingerbread house! Complete with Hansel and Gretel and the old witch. A whole shop specializing on fairy tale houses. Those are flowers made out of ceramics! Quite unique. Going on a horse carriage ride is very popular with tourists. This is the main spot where you would book a ride.
While we are here, let’s take a look inside the Cathedral. The inside of the cathedral is mostly Gothic with some Baroque additions. Part of it is open, other portions are for paying customers only.
It has more than 20 altars, and 2 large organs. There is also an extensive system of catacombs underneath, that can also be visited. Well, this Christmas market wasn’t bad, but also it wasn’t great. It’s mostly focused on food and drink, and a tad overcrowded.
Don’t forget to LIKE the video, SHARE it on your social media and SUBSCRIBE to the channel if you liked the video. And then the bells started ringing… The cathedral has a total of 22 bells, the largest weighing 20 tons, making it the second largest church bell in Europe.
Church bells were meant to ward off the Devil. If I were the Devil, I’d be pissing myself right now! Okay, that’s enough of this good stuff. Now on to the 3rd part of the “Golden U”, the Carinthia Street, that will take us to our final destination, the Christmas market at Charles Square.
On the corner of the Palais Equitable we can see the Stock im Eisen (or Staff in Iron) a tree trunk from the Middle Ages into which hundreds of nails have been pounded for good luck over centuries.
Kärntner Straße (or Carinthia Street) dates back to the Roman Era. During the Middle Ages it was one of the main thoroughfares of the city, linking Stephen’s Square with the Carinthian gate, that stood where the Opera is today.
Together with the Graben and Kohlmarkt, the Carinthia Street forms Vienna’s so-called “Golden U” of inner-city shopping streets, which offer upscale stores and are pedestrian zones. In the 19th century Carinthia Street was widened from 9 to 17 meters, which resulted in many Neoclassical and Baroque buildings being erected, among them several palaces.
During the Second World War the street was severely damaged, resulting in many plain looking Modernist buildings being added to the streetscape. Steffl to our left is a famous department store. Most of the retail space on the street is occupied by international fashion brands.
Neuer Markt (or New Market), home to the famous Donner Fountain opens up around the midpoint of Carinthia Street. J. & L. Lobmeyr, a famous glassware manufacturer to our right, and the Maltese Church, that belonged to the Knights Hospitaller. Vienna’s most famous casino on our left. Gambling is legal, but regulated in Austria.
The famous Café Sacher, Vienna’s most prominent coffeehouses. Whenever you visit it, there is always a queue outside… Vienna State Opera was built between 1861 and 1869 in Renaissance Revival style. The Opera is one of the biggest buildings on the Ring Road, and can seat 1700, with many additional standing places.
Believe it or not, when it was built many people considered it ugly! At one point tearing it down was seriously considered. Today the Opera is one of the largest such institutions with over 1000 employees, 50-60 operas and 10 ballet productions per year and a 100 million euro budget.
This last leg will be quite boring, feel free to skip ahead to our last Christmas market, the one at Charles Square. We have reached Charles Square, that bares the same name as the famous Charles Church. It is more like a park, than a square.
Karlskirche (or Charles Church) gives a beautiful backdrop to the event. The usual food and drink stalls so far… It is a bit crowded. That’s how the Maroni (or roasted chestnuts) are made. Wearing a funny hat helps.
The arts and crafts section looks very original so far. It seems that funny ceramics are in vogue in Vienna. This section looks magnificent in summer and it looks magnificent in winter. During summer there is a pond in front of the church. Now there’s a petting zoo in the middle.
A funny looking rail bicycle. Children seem to like it. Charles Church was built between 1716 and 1737 and is undoubtedly one of the most unique Baroque churches in the world. The facade in the center corresponds to a Greek temple portico while the two columns were modeled on Trajans Column.
More handicrafts and a huge variety of food and drinks. The ceramics look a bit like their creator. Again something unique and original. A bicycle carousel… Mowetz & Co are a company that makes funny looking bicycles. Stylish ceramics and more traditional ones. All handmade and original.
Well, this market was fun too. The largest variety of food, unique ceramics and fun activities for the kids. If you too liked this Christmas market tour of Vienna, please LIKE the video, SHARE it on your social media, and SUBSCRIBE to the channel. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Explore the Christmas Markets of Vienna, Austria in this 4K/60fps UHD walking tour. 📺 I use the best video camera and 🎧 the best audio equipment to record sound. For a truly immersive experience it is advised to watch the video on a wide screen TV and use an advanced sound system or to wear headphones.
See where I went on Google Maps 👉 https://bit.ly/4aMjWyP
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Sony FX30 Cinema Line Camera
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EM272Z1 XLR Microphones
Zoom F3 Field Recorder
Vienna (Wien) is the largest city and capital of Austria, with about two million inhabitants, the cultural, economic, and political center of the country. It is the sixth-largest city in the European Union, the largest of all cities on the Danube river, and the second-largest German-speaking city after Berlin. Vienna has been called the “City of Music” due to its musical legacy, as many famous classical musicians such as Beethoven and Mozart called Vienna home. Vienna is also called the “City of Dreams” because it was home to the world’s first psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud.
The long history of Vienna’s Christmas markets (Christkindlmarkt) goes back to 1296, when the city was granted the right to hold a “December market”. Actual Christmas markets were first held in the 17th century, first on Graben and at the Cathedral. Later they were moved to the Freyung and Am Hof squares. Ever since 1975 the main venue is held in the park in front of City Hall. There are also several other Christmas markets throughout the city. In this walk we will check out the 5 that are in the historic center: the one at Rathausplatz (City Hall Square), at Freyung Square, at Am Hof Square, at Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, and the one at Charles Square (Karlsplatz), as well as Graben, Kohlmarkt and Carinthia streets.
0:00 Intro
1:00 City Hall (Rathausplatz)
1:00:01 Freyung Sq.
1:15:10 Am Hof Sq.
1:27:00 Kohlmarkt Str.
1:34:00 Graben Str.
1:41:00 Cathedral
2:05:00 Carinthia Str.
2:19:45 Charles Sq. (Karlsplatz)
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