Musical Market Square Festival Mosbach — 1200 Years

A City Anniversary After 1200 Years

Mosbach dates back to a donation from the year 826 — meaning the city is celebrating its 1200th anniversary in 2026. The Musical Market Square Festival on May 16 and 17 is one of the highlights of the anniversary year and brings Mosbach's partner cities from France, Italy, and Germany to the half-timbered town on the Neckar.

Saturday: Opening with "Les Hauts du Vent"

The festive opening will be on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 10:30 AM with a concert by the symphonic orchestra "Les Hauts du Vent" from Mosbach's French partner city Château-Thierry. The performance in the Collegiate Church of St. Julianus marks the beginning of the anniversary celebrations and is dedicated to Franco-German friendship.

Market Square Festival from 2 PM

From 2 PM, the Mosbach market square — framed by the magnificent half-timbered town hall and historic burgher houses — will transform into an open festival stage. You will experience orchestras, choirs, soloists, street musicians, and dance groups from Mosbach's partner cities: Bagnacavallo (Italy), Château-Thierry (France), Saint-Cosme-en-Vairais (France), and friendly cities from the Neckar-Odenwald district. An international music program that showcases the diversity of Mosbach's partnership relations.

The "Wild Stage" at Hospitalhof

Parallel to the main stage at the market square, a second stage will be active at the Hospitalhof — the "wild stage." Experimental ensembles will perform here, young musicians from Mosbach and the surrounding area can take short slots, and the program is freer and more improvisational than on the main stage. An atmosphere like at a small festival.

Sunday: Peace Singing at 11 AM

On Sunday, May 17, 2026, from 11 AM to 12 PM, a communal singing of peace songs is scheduled. Mosbach choirs, school choirs, church choirs, and guests from the partner cities will sing together — a symbolic highlight of the anniversary, focusing on the message of peace and understanding.

Mosbach — 1200 Years of Half-Timbered Town on the Neckar

Mosbach, with a population of just over 25,000, is the district capital of the Neckar-Odenwald district and is famous for its well-preserved half-timbered old town around the market square. The Palmsche Haus, the town hall, the collegiate church, and the medieval burgher houses form one of the most beautiful old town ensembles in Southern Germany. The city lies at the transition between the Odenwald and the Neckar valley and is a starting point for hikes in the Kleiner Odenwald.