Fürstlicher Weihnachtsmarkt Hechingen

Christmas Market with a Princely Ambiance

The Princely Christmas Market in Hechingen owes its name to its proximity to Hohenzollern Castle – the ancestral seat of the Prussian royal family, perched high above the city. This connection shapes the market's identity: festive, traditional, with a penchant for historicizing atmosphere. Around 50 stalls present handmade crafts, Christmas decorations, wooden toys, ceramics, wool products, and culinary specialties.

Obertorplatz and Marktplatz

The Christmas market is spread across two squares in the historic old town: Obertorplatz with its medieval city gate and Marktplatz with the collegiate church of St. James. Both squares are festively illuminated, with a large Christmas tree in the center of each, and fairy lights strung across the alleys. This layout allows for a leisurely stroll through the old town without feeling crowded.

City Band and Music Program

The Hechingen City Band provides musical accompaniment – with brass concerts, Christmas choral arrangements, and traditional Advent repertoire. Local choirs also perform, as does the wind quintet from the music school, and occasionally school choirs and brass choirs from surrounding communities. The music is not obtrusively loud but deliberately staged to create a festive atmosphere.

Hechingen and the Zollernalb District

Hechingen is the second-largest town in the Zollernalb district and boasts a long noble history: Until 1849, it was the residence of the Principality of Hohenzollern-Hechingen before the area became part of Prussia. Today, Hohenzollern Castle above the town is the region's biggest tourist magnet. The Christmas market builds on this heritage – the atmosphere is intended to evoke the Advent weekends of historic Hechingen.