Ettlinger Sternlesmarkt

A Festive Old Town

Ettlingen boasts one of the most beautiful preserved old towns in Mittelbaden — half-timbered gables, remnants of the city wall, the baroque castle from the 18th century right on the Marktplatz. The Sternlesmarkt, first held in 1988, makes perfect use of this backdrop: four squares belong to the festival area, connected by Marktstraße and alleys. Anyone walking from St. Martin's Church to the Schlossvorplatz will inevitably pass all the stalls.

Sternles Stage and Ferris Wheel

The Sternles stage is at the center: a stage platform with a daily program of Christmas music, choirs, brass ensembles, and children's programs. Next to it, the nostalgic Ferris wheel turns on the Schlossvorplatz, offering views of the Baroque Castle and the old town rooftops. The children's carousel in front of the castle has been a permanent fixture for years.

39 Years of Arts and Crafts

For almost four decades, the Sternlesmarkt has established a consistently high-quality range of arts and crafts: hand-carved wooden toys, leather goods, high-quality ceramics, silver and stainless steel jewelry, textiles, handmade brushes, and brooms. Those looking for gifts beyond mass-produced items will reliably find pieces from regional manufactories and workshops here. "Sternschnuppenhütten" (shooting star huts) — pop-up stalls for a day — also bring new exhibitors into the program each year.

Ettlingen — Castle Town in the Albtal

Ettlingen is a town of about 40,000 inhabitants in the district of Karlsruhe, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, directly at the entrance to the Albtal valley and the northern Black Forest. The baroque castle complex, St. Martin's Church, and the lovingly restored old town make Ettlingen a tourist destination year-round — the Sternlesmarkt extends this into the dark season. You can reach Ettlingen directly from Karlsruhe via the Stadtbahn S1 or S11.