Pre-Christmas season Bonn Christmas market
Bonn · The Christmas market in the centre of Bonn opens on Friday and you can marvel at the Bonn nativity among other things. But one special element from the past few years is missing.
Construction of the Christmas market in Bonn city centre is in full swing. Of course the 185 sales stands, from craft stands to food stalls, still need lots of finishing touches before the opening this Friday, but between Münsterplatz and Friedensplatz it is almost complete. The tall landmarks – the big wheel in front of the post office and the pyramids on Münsterplatz and Friedensplatz – are in place.
As previously reported, the church stands in front of the cathedral will be missing this year because of the substantial renovation works. There is a long construction site next to the main entrance. The search for an alternative place for the charitable church stands was unsuccessful. The Catholic church had organised the church stands on parish land. Integration in the Christmas market was not possible as the city allocates its stands strictly in accordance with market rights, giving priority to commercial clients.
Dean of the city, Monsignor Wilfried Schumacher, said the city had expressed its regret this year. Joachim Gerhardt, the press minister for the Protestant church, said: “An important spiritual element will be missing from the Christmas market.” However, the coming weeks of the pre-Christmas period will not go by without any offering from the church in the city centre.
One Advent and Christmas institution remains at Bonn cathedral: the Bonn nativity scene. It will be set up in the historic chapter house. “Biblical scenes and then the birth of Jesus will be brought to life in front of scenes from the city and using figures from our time,” said cathedral spokesman, Reinhard Sentis. The nativity scene and cloister can be accessed through the cathedral shop from the first Sunday in Advent.
The Catholic and Protestant churches want to jointly offer “enjoyable moments,” beginning on Saturday 2 December at 5.15pm in the cloisters. The trombone band will appear and Schumacher and the Protestant superintendent, Eckert Wüster, will hold prayers. The ecumenical “Kirchenhütte” will move around the city. Martina Baur-Schäfer is the organiser: “We are planning sing-alongs.” During advent, there will be singing in front of the Kreuz church on Fridays from 6.30pm, accompanied by the Kreuz church trombone band. Due to the renovation works, the popular Advent carol singing, which has been in the cathedral since 2008, will take place from 4.30pm to 5.30pm in the Kreuz church.
(Original text: Phillipp Königs. Translated by Kate Carey.)
