Dortmund Christmas Market

The Dortmund Christmas Market is a holiday market in central Dortmund with around 250 wooden stalls offering seasonal goods, handcrafts, and traditional decorations. The stalls spread across several squares and combine shopping with a walking route through the downtown area.

The market began its tradition in 1878 and was interrupted by war before growing into one of Germany's largest Christmas gatherings. This long continuity shapes its current role and importance to the city.

The market shapes how the city celebrates Christmas, with Westphalian grilled ham and Dortmund salt cake available to taste and take home. The annual collector edition mulled wine cups show how locals make this gathering part of their yearly customs.

The market spreads across multiple squares, so walking from place to place and choosing your route based on interests makes sense. The different areas focus on different goods, making exploration rewarding.

At Hansaplatz, around 1,700 spruce trees grow together as a temporary structure with many LED lights creating a special light display. This temporary creation exists only during market season and draws many visitors to that square.