Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, one of the world’s oldest Christmas markets, was first held in 1434.
The market began during the reign of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony, when Dresden received permission to hold a one-day market on the Monday after Christmas. Its name comes from Strüzel or Hefestriezel, an early form of the fruit-filled Christmas bread now associated with Dresden stollen.
Over time, the event expanded from a single post-Christmas trading day into a major Advent market. Craftspeople, bakers, and other merchants sell seasonal goods, decorations, food, and gifts. The market is held at Dresden’s Altmarkt square and is an important part of the city’s winter visitor economy.
The Striezelmarkt is sometimes described simply as Germany’s oldest Christmas market, although claims about the world’s oldest market depend on how continuity and the definition of a Christmas market are measured. Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt and Strasbourg’s market are other historic examples.