Adventsmarkt im St.-Michaels-Heim

A Nostalgic Market with History

The St.-Michaels-Heim at Bismarckallee 23 in Berlin-Grunewald was once a family estate of the famous Mendelssohns — the banking and composing family whose Berlin history dates back to the 18th century. After World War II, the property became a guesthouse with a conference center, operated by the Johannisches Sozialwerk, a non-profit association of the Johannische Kirche. The Adventsmarkt has been held here for over 40 years — today it is a fixture in Berlin's Christmas calendar.

What Makes the Market Special

Unlike the large tourist markets in Mitte, the St.-Michaels-Heim is a small, quiet market with a clear focus on crafts. Characteristic elements:

• Festively illuminated facade of the English-style country estate in the heart of Grunewald
• Homemade goods: jams, cookies, old recipes from the Sozialwerk
• Handicrafts: handmade toys, pottery, wood crafts, candle dipping
• Concerts, readings, performances with traditional Christmas melodies
• Children's program: cookie baking, story reading, Christmas cartoons at the Heim
• "Zwergenland" (Dwarf Land): crafting and play area for toddlers
• Second-hand clothing: unusual for a Christmas market, but a house tradition
• Bavarian organic farm specialties: culinary star guest alongside mulled wine and cookies

Character and Target Audience

The market primarily attracts families from the surrounding Grunewald and Wilmersdorf neighborhoods, as well as regular customers from the Johannische community and some Berlin insiders who cherish it as a hidden gem. Tourists are rare here — which makes the market a truly local Berlin event, without crowds and with atmosphere.

Grunewald as a Location

Grunewald is an affluent villa district in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough, directly adjacent to the forest of the same name. Visitors to the Adventsmarkt typically combine it with a forest walk at Hundekehlesee or Grunewaldsee — a classic Berlin family Sunday during the pre-Christmas season.