The pretty town frozen in time that has one of Europe’s best Christmas markets

Germany has been at the heart of many of Europe’s wars in the last century.

Two global conflicts ravaged the country, leaving much of its ancient splendours completely flattened.

Many who have visited some of the country’s biggest cities, while impressive, will no doubt have been disappointed by the fact that little remains in the way of history older than 50 years.

But look outside the cities and you will find a thriving town scene, one in which whole settlements stand just as they did during the Medieval period, half-timbered houses painted in dazzling colours and looking… well… very, very German.

Quedlinburg is one of these towns, a once influential trading post that today hosts what has been described as one of Europe’s best and most authentic Christmas markets.

READ MORE Famous Christmas market slammed as ‘waste of time’ with ‘overpriced beer’

The town of Quedlinburg has existed since at least the early 9th century and has often been described as Germany’s first capital.

This is because Henry the Fowler, in 919, was offered the German crown at Quedlinburg by Franconian nobles, giving rise to the town being known as the origin point of the German Reich.

In the hundreds of years that followed, Quedlinburg was built up and out, cobbled stone being laid to make way for pedestrians and horse-drawn carts, with its beautiful timbered houses in tow.

Henry, later known as King Henry I, only reinforced the town’s importance when he commissioned the construction of a great castle to be built on one of Quedlinburg’s vast hills.

Don’t miss…
The UK seaside town with the ‘best’ Christmas market insanely pretty all year[REPORT]
The tiny town Scotland border outraged over the size of Christmas trees[LATEST]
UK’s ‘best’ Christmas market slammed as ‘underwhelming’ in scathing review[INSIGHT]

• Support fearless journalism
• Read The Daily Express online, advert free
• Get super-fast page loading

The structure still stands today and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the Collegiate Church and Quedlinburg’s Old Town.

At the centre of the Old Town sits Quedlinburg’s Town Hall, or Rathaus, which was built in 1320 and placed it as one of the region’s most important major market towns.

It is here that one of Europe’s most beautiful and popular Christmas markets is located with the backdrop of Quedlinburg’s medieval splendours.

Open from November 29 to December 22, a range of traditional German regular and winter food is served, accompanied by alcoholic delicacies like Glühwein — mulled wine — as well as tasty Christmas-oriented snacks and foods such as duck, goose, rabbit or roast turkey.

Visitors applaud Quedlinburg for its intimacy: unlikely many other Christmas markets around Europe, they write online that it isn’t overwhelming nor is it tacky and filled with kitsch.

“I love Quedlinburg, it’s like a fairytale, and I guess in a way it is like Bruges,” wrote one TripAdvisor user, while another said: “Quedlinburg is lovely and the market is nice – a couple of hours maximum and you will have seen it all and had time for food and drink.”

While the town sits amid the mountains, it is relatively easy for overseas visitors to get to, with direct flights from the UK to nearby Leipzig and Hannover, a short car journey will transport you back in time and take you to the heart of medieval Germany.

Source: Read Full Article