Cologne Christmas Markets: Hearts, Angels, Elves, & Nikolaus
Above/featured: Dom und Baum (Cathedral and tree).
Colder weather in late-November marks the beginning of Christmas season with food, drink, lights, and frivolity. The festive markets in the Carnival City of Cologne are equally reflective of cheerful people and good times one expects to find on the river Rhein. Four of the city’s Christmas markets are located at the Cathedral, Old Market in the Old Town, at the New Market, and at Rudolph Square. What makes these four special are their descriptions: “Markt der Herzen” (market of hearts), “Heimat der Heinzel” (home of the elves), “Markt der Engel” (market of angels), and “Nikolausdorf” (St. Nicholas village) respectively. Under the glow of Christmas lights, I saw glimpses of big smiles, warm hearts and bellies, happy children, ladies dressed as angels, and the ubiquitous presence of a jolly rotund bearded man dressed in red.
These markets are in the city centre and easily accessible with KVB public transport. During my visits1, there is no admission charge to enter these markets. On multiple visits over the years, we’ve covered all three on foot in a single evening, requiring frequent stops for food among an unspecified number of Glühwein (mulled wine).
| Market | Location | KVB trams & trains |
KVB Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weihnachtsmarkt Kölner Altstadt (Heimat der Heinzel | home of elves) |
Alter Markt (Old Market) |
1, 5, 7, 9 | Heumarkt |
| Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom (Markt der Herzen | market of hearts) |
Roncalliplatz (Roncalli Square) |
5, 16, 18; S6, S11, S12, (S13), S19 |
Dom/Hauptbahnhof |
| Markt der Engel auf dem Neumarkt (market of angels) |
Neumarkt (New Market) |
1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 16, 18 | Neumarkt |
| Nikolausdorf auf dem Rudolphplatz (St. Nicholas village) |
Rudolphplatz (Rudolph Square) |
1, 7, 12, 15 | Rudolphplatz |
Markt der Herzen (market of hearts), Roncalliplatz near the Dom
Markt der Herzen
Heimat der Henzel, Weihnachtsmarkt Kölner Altstadt
Bright lights, Christmas market in Cologne’s Old Town
Lights, Weihnachtsmarkt Kölner Altstadt
Markt der Engel (market of angels), at Neumarkt
Watchful angel, Markt der Engel
Spinning but not “spinnen”, Markt der Engel
Nikolausdorf auf dem Rudolphplatz
St. Nicholas village at Rudolph Square
Nikolausdorf auf dem Rudolphplatz
1 I made the photos during visits in 2012 (Nov 29 and 30, myRTW) and 2015 (Nov 30). This post appears at Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-47J.
Fotoeins Fotografie 
14 Responses to “Cologne Christmas Markets: Hearts, Angels, Elves, & Nikolaus”
We had our first snow of the season today which makes me hope that we’ll be somewhere warm throughout the winter of our RTW trip:) – these pictures are beautiful! – Ginette
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Thank you, Ginette, for your kind compliment! I spent five years in Chile, and every time the 3rd week of December rolled around, Christmas occurred days after the longest day of the year – summertime and beach weather! It’s not the same kind of Christmas that one might have with cold weather and snow on the ground. But warm weather during December and January doesn’t sound like a bad idea, either! Thanks again for reading and for your comment!
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I am so looking forward to the Christmas markets in Germany. I finally moved with my family back to north germany. All the previous years I died little deaths each christmas time as the Christmas markets in Finland are just pitiful even compared to the smallest village Christmas market I experienced in Germany! In my hometown the market is slowly build up but I think I really should go once to cologne to see those markets as well.
Nine years ago I was on the market in Dresden and it was wonderful as well. Sadly I do not have any pictures left from that time
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Hi, Timo. I’ve only encountered the markets in Hamburg, where Christmas markets in northern Germany are concerned. It’s interesting seeing more Finnish stands at the German markets; I saw this for the first time in Dresden a couple of years ago. The markets in Dresden were fantastic, including the big one next to Frauenkirche and another one in the Neustadt on the other side of the Elbe river. I’m looking forward to a number of Germany’s Christmas markets again in a couple of weeks time, although I’m not going to Hamburg or Dresden. Thanks for reading and for your comment!
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I’m off to Cologne in a couple of weeks – can’t wait to explore the Christmas markets!
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Hi, Becky. I missed the opening of the markets in Cologne – by a day! I had a schedule to keep, and I missed the markets in Frankfurt and Cologne, but I’ve already seen them in a couple of places. Have fun at the markets! 🙂
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[…] from Fotoeins has a very nice collection of Christmas Market impressions on his blog including this guide for the Cologne Christmas Markets. As you can see there the bigger cities even got several […]
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[…] urban G-E-M-S: Köln • Love locks & love stories in Cologne • Cologne Christmas Markets: Hearts, Angels, and Elves • Finding simple is more in […]
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Your pictures capture the spirit of Christmas so well. If I had to ask, which city did you feel had the most amazing Christmas Market in Germany?
http://chasingescapes.com/2014/11/the-ultimate-guide-to-cologne-christmas-markets-2014/
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Hello and thanks for your kind compliment, Ankur. I have to give a nod to my former hometown of Heidelberg for the familiarity of the university town. I’ve read great things about Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Nürnberg; I’ve visited the latter but only in summertime. I’ve also been fortunate to have visited a number of diverse Christmas markets in Berlin, too. I also liked the central Christmas markets in Leipzig and Dresden. It’s a tough call!
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I have been to Nuremberger Christmas Markets, they were great. However, Dresden is yet to happen!
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Do you have a post/essay about the markets in Nürnberg? I would look forward to your impressions about Dresden’s markets!
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Ah sadly no, that was back in 2013 and I do not have great images on that. Will prepare for Dresden 🙂
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[…] St. Nicholas village at Rudolphplatz – 30 Nov 2015 (6D1). […]
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