Vienna Christmas Market

Today marks the opening of the Vienna Christmas Market on Rathausplatz, which runs through December 26—just as it has for the past 50 years. It is the most famous of Vienna’s 14 Christmas markets, spread across 10 different districts.

The origins of Vienna’s Christmas markets likely date back to the 17th century; the first recorded mention of a Christmas market dates to 1722, when it was still held on Freyung. After a brief stop at Am Hof, the market moved to Stephansplatz in 1918, and following a series of relocations, it settled at Rathausplatz in 1975. The centerpiece is the approximately 30-meter-tall Christmas tree, which has stood there since 1959; as is the tradition every year, it comes from a different federal state—this year, the spruce hails from Hopfgarten in the Brixental valley in Tyrol.

Since the 1980s, the “Vienna Advent Magic” has been held in the park around the 96 market stalls (21 of which are food vendors), featuring an ice-skating rink, paths illuminated with Christmas lights, and the now-famous “Herzerlbaum” (Heart Tree).

The second photo shows the illuminated Vienna City Hall from Heldenplatz as part of the light installation “Lichtblicke Österreichs” by Victoria Coeln, which commemorates the anniversaries of 1945, 1955, and 1995 celebrated this year.