Our Blog - Siegburg, Germany and its medieval Christmas market

In addition to Cologne, one of our friends had mentioned a medieval Christmas Market at a small town close-by, called Siegburg. This Christmas market is actually quite unique in that it truly is a medieval market, without electricity and artificial light, with performers and all of the stall merchants in costume. There were also several master craftsmen with their individual stalls.

We did a short walking tour to just get a little more familiar with the town itself as well. It started with a Benedictine monastery in 1064 with the first settlement being mentioned in 1182. The height of prosperity was in the 15th and 16th century and is known for its pottery. Trivia: its most famous resident was Engelbert Humperdinck ... but not the one you probably are thinking of. This one lived from 1854 to 1921 and was the composer of the opera Hänsel und Gretel. Being an American, sometimes we feel a bit distanced from the Holocaust, but we get brought back to just how close it was when you read that, for example, Siegburg's synagogue was destroyed on Kristallnacht, signaling the demise of its Jewish community.

We did a little walking tour around town, starting at St. Servatius Church. The church, a three-aisled gallery basilica, dates mainly from the Gothic period although parts of an older Romanesque building have been preserved ain a couple places. The newer church was started in 1169, with additions in the 13th and 14th centuries. After severe damage in World War II, the side aisles and choirs were given new roofs in 1953–1960, the gables attached in the 19th century were removed, the west tower was plastered and painted. In the course of further restorations, the nave and choir were also plastered and colored in the 1980s.

The interior looks quite nice, as it underwent a renovation in 2015. Here you can see the different styles ... the pointed arches in the apse over the altar, and the rounded Romanesque arches on both sides of the nave. The statues of the apostles on the nave in between these Romanesque arches were created between 1508 and 1512. The high altar has a monolithic Romanesque altarpiece

Opposite the church is the oldest secular stone building of the Rhein-Sieg district. This early 13th century building, was the rectory for the church. You can see how most of the original openings and windows on the ground floor have been closed up.

The Königlich-Prussian armory was built in 1830 but it didn't last very long, since it was stormed during the 1848 revolution when it became the target of a train of free-marchers.

You could miss this little tiny chapel, called the "Heiligenhäuschen", at the end of a street. The chapel with a Madonna statue dates back to 1759.

The house Auf der Arken, one of the oldest buildings in the town, was first mentioned in 1517.

There is a small river called the Mühlengraben, where tanners used to practice their craft. You can see this five-story industrial-looking apartment building. It is the last evidence of old mill technology in the former Siegburger mill district and was saved from demolition in the 1980s by converting the building into apartments. If you look closely, there is a mill wheel there which serves no purpose but it was nice that it was also saved.

Next up is a small park that was built in front of one of the surviving sections of the city wall, which was begun in the 12th century.

Now to the market ... various pictures with the entrance gates, the various chalets, and personalities in proper medieval dress.

There is an old-style merry-go-round complete with cows to ride and seats inside of barrels. But remember that there is no electricity, so you can see the two girls in the middle who are taking their turn at, well, turning the merry-go-round!

One of the craftsmen, here is one pounding metal to make something, after heating it in the open fire.

Our lunch ... well ... how could we pass up a sandwich made from the pig on the spit!