Categories
Christmas Markets Slovakia

Slovakian Christmas markets

This post is also available in: Italiano

Christmas in Slovakia is celebrated with carols and songs, the beautiful pastorals that were sung in the past among family and community members are now performed by church choirs.

The Christmas trees in every home are decorated with candles, fruit, sweets, honey paste angels and wooden figurines.

The Christmas markets are a rather recent tradition, but the country has had strong ties with the Germanic world, Bratislava, Pressburg in German, was the capital, for over two centuries, of the kingdom of Hungary under the Habsburgs of Austria, a to which it remained connected until the end of the First World War.

BRATISLAVA CHRISTMAS MARKET

The largest Christmas market in the country takes place in the capital of Slovakia. Bratislava Christmas Market.

KOŠICE CHRISTMAS MARKET

Košice, Slovakia’s second largest city, is located in the east of the country, not far from the border with Ukraine and Hungary. Among the most beautiful buildings to visit the majestic Gothic cathedral of Saint Elizabeth (Dóm svätej Alžbety) built between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the most interesting historical monuments are all located around the main street of the historic center, the Hlavná ulica.

1) Kosice Christmas Market (Vianočné trhy v Košiciach). The Košice Christmas market is located right in the city center, along the Hlavna ulica, here the classic wooden stalls are set up displaying and selling gift items, books, wood carvings, Christmas decorations, candles, wafers, pastries, pancakes , cooked cabbage, mead, hot chocolate, gingerbread, roasted chestnuts, and other local specialties. The city of Košice also offers an interesting entertainment program, music and shows every evening, as well as the large Advent wreath on the Hurbanova tower.

ŽILINA CHRISTMAS MARKET

Žilina, is a beautiful historic town in northern Slovakia, near the borders with Poland and the Czech Republic. The city began to develop around the fourteenth century, its historic center is centered around two squares, the Mariánske námestie and the Námestí Andreja Hlinku, Marianske námestie is overlooked by beautiful bourgeois houses with arcades, the Baroque church of St. Paul the Apostle, and the old municipal building. Close to the city is the Budatín castle, a stately building from the 17th and 18th centuries, from this city several attractions of northern Slovakia are within easy reach including the Bojnice Castle, the Strečno Castle, the Orava Castle, and the wooden village of Vlkolínec, the latter a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1) Žilina Christmas Market (Vianočné trhy Žilina). The Žilina Christmas market occupies the two central squares of Mariánske námestie and Námestí Andreja Hlinku, in the two squares, in addition to the market, there will be Santa Claus, a large nativity scene, many decorations and the ever-present Christmas tree.

NITRA CHRISTMAS MARKET

Nitra, is an ancient town in Slovakia, located east of Bratislava. The city was an important center of the Moravian Empire in the 9th century, and is one of the oldest cities in the country, the old city (Staré Mesto) is located on top of a hill and is dominated by the Castle (Hrad), the upper city is one of the most interesting ensembles of palaces and old buildings in Slovakia, it contains old churches and seminaries, and the bishop’s palace.

1) Nitra Christmas Market (Vianočné trhy Nitra ). The Nitra Christmas market in Svätoplukovom námestí square is made up of over 30 wooden chalets, the stalls are placed around a large Christmas tree.

This post is also available in: Italiano