Advent im Salon — Fairytales for the Whole Family

A Counter-World to the Christmas Market Hustle

Anyone seeking peace instead of hustle and bustle, tradition instead of plastic carousels, and atmosphere instead of mulled wine crowds during Advent will find an extraordinary Advent format at Posterstein Castle. „Advent im Salon“ stages the historical rooms of the castle museum as revived 19th-century salons — with fairy tales, music, readings, Christmas crafts, and a select gastronomic offer. This deliberate distinction from the classic Christmas market is part of the profile of the Posterstein Castle Museum.

The Castle as a Salon

Posterstein Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval castle complexes in East Thuringia. Today, it houses a museum that primarily deals with the salon culture of the Enlightenment and Romantic periods — the castle itself was the venue for literary and musical salons several times in the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum picks up on this tradition with „Advent im Salon“: the rooms become salons, the audience becomes salon society, and the program becomes a salon evening.

Program for the Whole Family

Unlike historical salons, which were reserved for a cultural elite, „Advent im Salon“ is explicitly aimed at families. In the salon, there are readings, singing, and crafts — over Christmas crafts, delicious cookies, and hot drinks, parents and grandparents can chat with children. Fairy tales from all over the world are read or told — from Grimm's fairy tales to lesser-known folk tales. The entire castle ensemble is tastefully decorated for Christmas — no garish fairy lights, but candlelight, fir branches, and wooden crafts.

Cooperations with Regional Cultural Institutions

The event takes place in cooperation with the Lindenau-Museum Altenburg, Kinderarche Sachsen, and other regional cultural partners. This networking ensures a diverse program — each room has a different accompanying program, such as art education activities from the Lindenau-Museum or social participatory activities from Kinderarche.

Posterstein and the Altenburger Land

Posterstein is a small municipality in the Altenburger Land district in the far east of Thuringia, on the border with Saxony. The castle is the cultural landmark of the town and is one of the most visited museums in East Thuringia. „Advent im Salon“ is the castle's second major annual festival event, alongside the large medieval spectacle at Pentecost — and the only one that explicitly focuses on a family-friendly indoor atmosphere.