Meiningen Christmas magic with ice rink

Saturday, 23 December 2023 00:00
Written by Portal Editor

We were actually only supposed to go to the evening concert of the Italian band “Strange Kind Of Women” in the Volkshaus Meiningen, but then we arrived in Meiningen in time enough to at least make a short visit to the Christmas market there.

The Volkshaus in Meiningen is a classical building ensemble in the district town of Meiningen. The building complex alone is worth seeing; another article will follow on the concert.

Volkshaus was once the “Schützenhaus” for the Meiningen Rifle Society

The Volkshaus was once built as a “Schützenhaus” for the Meininger Schützengesellschaft as a club headquarters, later served a variety of uses and today, as an event venue, is a centrepiece in the city’s social life. The listed Volkshaus ensemble is located in the north of the city centre, not far from the castle park on Landsberger Straße and Volkshausplatz. The Volkshaus Bridge over the nearby Werra is named after him. Nearby are the former Bank for Thuringia and the Meiningen State Theatre. The Volkshaus ensemble consists of two buildings, the main building built in 1831 and the large ballroom building built in 1913. Until 1947 the buildings were called “Schützenhaus” and “Großer Schützenhaussaal”. An application made in 1997 to demolish the ensemble was rejected by the monument protection authority.

Meiningen Christmas market and its ice rink

The Meiningen Christmas market has one of its highlights back: From mid-November 2023 to the beginning of January 2024, visitors can experience the magic of winter at the Meiningen Christmas market while doing laps on the ice rink around the Heinrichsbrunnen. Young and old can skate safely on the coolest ice rink in southern Thuringia. Experienced ice-skating fans get their money's worth here, as do little beginners who can easily glide across the ice with the Bobby walker.

November 11, 2023 to January 3, 2024: Mon - Thu: 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Fri - Sat: 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., Sun 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m

During the holidays (December 22, 2023 to January 3, 2024): Sun - Thu 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Fri - Sat 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., Christmas Eve 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 25. /26.12. 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., New Year's Eve 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., New Year's Day 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m

Christmas magic around the Heinrichsbrunnen

The traditional Meiningen Christmas magic around the Heinrichsbrunnen takes place in an impressive setting in front of the town church on the market square. Around 30 festively decorated huts offer a variety of culinary temptations as well as a fine selection of original gift ideas. Another highlight is the 8-meter-high Christmas pyramid, in which the Meiningen open work invites young and old to linger with hot drinks.

Little Christmas fans will get their money's worth in the craft hut with changing offers and meet Santa Claus in Meiningen. School classes, kindergarten groups and regional clubs regularly host performances. Little Christmas fans will get their money's worth with changing craft offerings and a varied program. And of course, the Christmas sounds of the Meiningen tower brass will once again be heard this year from the tower of the town church across the market square.

The highlights of the Meiningen Christmas magic:

November 27th to December 22nd, 2023
Over 30 retailers and restaurateurs
South Thuringia's most beautiful and largest ice rink made of real ice
Gastronomy: Sun - Thu 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. | Fri - Sat 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m
Trading: Mon - Sun 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m
Visit from Santa Claus on December 6th
Taking photos with Santa Claus: every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m
Craft hut at the Christmas market: November 27th to December 22nd, daily 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m

The Meiningen Advent calendar

Daily Advent calendar: Opening the door (shutter) on the “Anna Seghers” Meiningen city and district library building
Pottery market at the Christmas forest

A festively decorated place with a romantic ambience with candlelight, fire bowls to warm up and stalls decorated for Christmas. You can spend lovely hours at the Meiningen pottery market and order one or two presents from Santa Claus, who will of course also be there.

Culinary options include suckling pig, soups, mulled wine, cheese dairy and tarte flambée. Choirs, brass instruments, organ grinders and our Santa Claus spread the Christmas spirit. The younger visitors can, among other things, pass the time by doing crafts, and there is also a wish list tree.

25. ArtCraftsMarket

The special Christmas market of the Meiningen Museums - Selected diversity in the area of tension between art and craft on 9th/10th. December 2023 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. We invite you to visit our 25th anniversary KunstHandwerkerMarkt in person and online. From the first Advent you will find all information at www.meiningermuseen.de

The Meininger Christmas Magic, chosen as the best German Christmas market in 2019/20 and winner of the German audience award “Best Christmas City” (as a competition organized by Christmasworld, the Federal Association of City and City Marketing Germany e.V. and the specialist magazine Public Marketing), also took place - in a reduced form took place in December 2020.

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