Mühlhausen Christmas Market and Winter Lights
Thuringia's largest covered Christmas market around the Divi Blasii Church
About Mühlhausen Winter Lights
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Mühlhausen Winter Lights al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Medieval Imperial City in a Glow of Lights
Mühlhausen, located in western Thuringia in the Unstrut-Hainich district, is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Central Germany. The city wall, towers, St. Mary's Church, and the Divi Blasii Church shape the cityscape. It is precisely in this setting that the Mühlhausen Advent season unfolds from the end of November until just before Christmas – four weekends of winter lights, market bustle, and a glow of lights around the Divi Blasii Church, where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as an organist from 1707 to 1708.
Four Advent Weekends, One Concept
Unlike most Christmas markets, Mühlhausen runs throughout the entire Advent period. There is a program on all four weekends – carousels, a stage, food and drink, and vendors. The highlight, however, is the third weekend, when the actual Christmas market with over 60 vendors takes place. Here, handicrafts, glassblowers, woodcarvers from the neighboring Erzgebirge region, and regional specialties alternate – Thuringian bratwurst, Rostbrätel, mulled wine, and stollen.
The Mulled Wine Mile and the Gnome Hunt
A special feature is the mulled wine mile on the second Advent weekend with live music and St. Nicholas surprises. Those who stroll here can sample from stand to stand – classics with cinnamon and cloves alongside experimental varieties with blueberry, elderberry, or apple flavors. The Mühlhausen Christmas Gnome Hunt runs throughout the Advent season: with every purchase, you get a stamp on a card, and at the end of the Advent season, prizes are raffled among the collectors.
The Soup and Craft Market
A Mühlhausen specialty – and by no means a given – is the Mühlhausen Soup and Craft Market. Local clubs cook their best soup creations (from lentil soup to exotic variations), and right next door, children can craft in the Advent workshop. This is community festival volunteering in the best sense: club members in voluntary service, with the proceeds flowing into the club treasuries.
Bach, Müntzer, and City History
Anyone spending a day in Mühlhausen can combine the Christmas market with city history: St. Mary's Church, where Thomas Müntzer preached in 1525, the Peasants' War trail through the city wall, the Peasants' War Museum, and the Bach House around the Divi Blasii Church – Mühlhausen was a central location in German history between 1525 and 1750. In Advent, this gravitas combines with the warmth of mulled wine, candles, and Bach's music in the churches.
Mühlhausen Winter Lights — edition 2026
Four Weekends of Glow in the Imperial City
The Mühlhausen Advent season 2026 extends from November 27 to December 20 over all four Advent weekends. There is a program every weekend; the actual Christmas market with over 60 vendors and a full stage program runs on the third Advent weekend (Wednesday to Sunday, December 9–13). It is open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
What's New in 2026
The second edition of the Mühlhausen Soup and Craft Market is a permanent fixture in 2026 – local clubs cook soup variations, and the Advent workshop for children opens concurrently. The mulled wine mile on the second Advent weekend expands the range of offerings, and the Christmas Gnome Hunt runs throughout the Advent season.
Programme Mühlhausen Winter Lights 2026
Program Advent Season 2026
- 1st Advent Weekend (November 27–29): Opening with mulled wine service and first market stalls around the Divi Blasii Church
- 2nd Advent Weekend (December 4–6): Mulled Wine Mile with live music and St. Nicholas surprises; St. Nicholas visits daily
- 3rd Advent Weekend — Main Market (Wednesday, December 9 — Sunday, December 13): over 60 vendors, carousels, daily stage program 10:00 AM–10:00 PM; Christmas Parade on Advent Saturday; Mühlhausen Soup and Craft Market; Advent workshop for children
- 4th Advent Weekend (December 18–20): Closing with extended market operations, last-minute gifts, and raffle of gnome prizes on December 20
- Accompanying program in the city: special openings of the Bratwurst Museum, Diakonie Doppelpunkt, Gut Sambach, Kirmesbahn, and in the Mühlhausen districts
Highlights Mühlhausen Winter Lights 2026
- Four Advent weekends between November 27 and December 20, 2026
- Main market December 9–13, 2026 with over 60 vendors
- Mulled wine mile on the second Advent weekend with live music
- Mühlhausen Soup and Craft Market (2nd edition)
- Christmas Parade on Advent Saturday
- Daily St. Nicholas visits and Advent workshop for children
Prices Mühlhausen Winter Lights 2026
Free admission. Food and drinks, mulled wine, carousels, and handicrafts are paid for on-site. For the Mühlhausen Christmas Gnome Hunt, there is a free collection card that is stamped at participating shops.
Practical information — Mühlhausen Winter Lights
Dates 2026
All four Advent weekends from November 27 to December 20, 2026. Actual Christmas Market: December 9–13, 2026 (third Advent weekend, Wednesday to Sunday). Opening hours daily 10:00 AM–10:00 PM.
Location
Mühlhausen city center around the Divi Blasii Church, 99974 Mühlhausen/Thuringia.
Getting There
By train: Mühlhausen is on the Erfurt–Göttingen line, a 10-minute walk from the station to the city center. By car: A38 Göttingen–Halle, exit Heiligenstadt or Leinefelde, then B247 towards Mühlhausen. Park & Ride at the Pferdemarkt recommended.
Admission
Free entry to the market. Carousel tickets and food/drinks are paid for on-site.
Tip
Combine your visit to the Christmas market with a guided tour of the Divi Blasii Church (Bach's place of work) and St. Mary's Church (Thomas Müntzer). The Bratwurst Museum on the outskirts offers special events in Advent.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
Max. 5 photos, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Each suggestion is reviewed by our team before being published.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Mühlhausen Winter Lights al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Where it takes place Mühlhausen Winter Lights
Divi-Blasii-Kirche und Innenstadt Mühlhausen
Innenstadt rund um die Divi-Blasii-Kirche, 99974 Mühlhausen/Thüringen