Treuchtlingen Castle Christmas Market with Medieval Market

Medieval in the Castle Courtyard

The Treuchtlingen Castle Christmas Market stands out from classic Christmas markets: it combines Advent market life with medieval reenactment. The venue is the spacious courtyard of the Treuchtlingen Town Castle in the Middle Franconian town in the Altmühlfranken region. The Renaissance ensemble – once the residence of the Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach – is festively illuminated in the evenings, forming one of Bavaria's most atmospheric backdrops for an Advent market.

Two Advent Weekends

The market takes place on the 2nd and 3rd Advent weekends – Friday and Saturday from 3 PM to 9 PM, Sunday from 2 PM to 8 PM. Spreading it over two weekends allows for a more intensive program and is due to the high demand: the festival has established itself as a supra-regional Advent destination in recent years, attracting visitors from the entire Altmühltal valley, the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region, and Northern Bavaria.

Program between Arts and Crafts and Fire Art

Around 30 market stalls are lined up in the castle courtyard – primarily offering high-quality regional arts and crafts: handmade wooden, ceramic, and knitted goods, leatherwork, gemstone jewelry, medieval toys, and incense. The stage program focuses on medieval performances: fire artists, stilt walkers, jugglers, storytellers, and especially the popular blacksmith demonstrations, where visitors can have horseshoes, nails, and simple jewelry forged.

Culinary Delights from the Middle Ages

The culinary offerings are also authentic: roasted suckling pig, game sausages, stews from the cauldron, mead (honey wine), mulled wine, apple juice, honey gingerbread, and old German pastries – mostly served on wooden tables under open pavilions. The chefs and showmen are dressed in historical costumes, enhancing the atmosphere.

A Castle Town between the Altmühl and Jura

Treuchtlingen, with a population of just over 13,000, is located in the Altmühltal valley between Weißenburg and Eichstätt and is a railway hub. The 16th-century town castle now houses the city administration – and during the Castle Christmas Market, its usually closed inner courtyard opens up as a magical winter wonderland.