Lucky for us, the Christmas markets in Brno are considered among the most beautiful in the country. Let’s take a look at what will be on offer in the two main squares of the historic city centre, Zelný trh and Moravské náměstí… Photo: Zelný trh, 2017. Photo credit: @BrnoDaily.
Brno, Nov 8 (BD) – From warming up with a specially designed cup of mulled wine to shopping for lovely little Christmas gifts, you will surely find anything you could possibly want among the 121 Christmas stands in Zelný trh. This year the Christmas market in Zelný trh will expand into an area of Starobrněnská street adjacent to the square.
Advent season and Christmas are about many things: enjoying the holidays with family and friends, decorating, shopping, or doing winter sports. Christmas traditions in Czechia are still associated with the birth of Jesus. “Last year, with help from children, we wrote the longest ever letter to baby Jesus [as Czechs do not write to Santa], which was listed in the Czech Book of Records. The letter was 614 meters long and 43 centimetres wide. Will this record be beaten this year?,” asks Eva Skácelová, Coordinator of “Advent in Zelňák”.
“On the occasion of the 100th anniversary, we had a special bell made for the Christmas market in Zelný trh. The bell was symbolically cast on the exact anniversary of October 28, 2018. The bell has the first Czech lion emblem of the early 1920s and names of all the presidents of the past 100 years written on it. Its diameter is 20 centimetres and it is completely unique,” explained Skácelová.
The Christmas tree in Zelný trh will light up at 6pm on November 23, an hour after the illumination ceremony on náměstí Svobody. A music and theatre program for children and adults will run from 4pm to 8pm every day.
Moravské náměstí
Moravské náměstí will offer the true spirit of Christmas, as it will become a place of cooperation and support, hosting a large number of charity organizations. Go and visit the antiquarian bookshop in a yurt, or any of the other attractions.
Moravské náměstí will feature all the most popular attractions from last year as well as a few new ones. There will be a central bar on the fountain, a straw nativity scene by artist Kateřina Veselá, a tea room, and a “gastro tent”. “This year’s great novelty is a 33 meter (108 ft) Ferris wheel with a capacity of 144 people. “We believe that the view from this height will provide a truly unusual view of Christmas Brno, over the roofs of houses to náměstí Svobody, Špilberk, Petrov and other dominant landmarks of the city. Together with the Christmas decoration in the streets, it will certainly be worth it,” says Tomáš Pavčík, director of the company organizing the market. The tree in Moravské náměstí will be 17-18 metres tall and 70 years old.
2018 plan of the Christmas markets in Moravské náměstí. Visualisation: MC Brno-střed.
Parents with kids will welcome a new heated yurt with a kids corner and workshops for the smallest.
The cultural program in Moravské náměstí will run from 6pm to 10pm on weekdays and 3pm to 10pm at weekends.
Ice-Skating
The statue of Margrave Jošt will be the centrepiece of the ice skating rink again this year. If temperatures are low enough, the 860 square metre rink will be ready for the first skaters on November 16. Last year, the ice rink on Moravské náměstí was open from December 6. The winter season 2017/18 ended in March.
Christmas Tram
Did you enjoy the specially decorated Christmas tram last year? You won’t be disappointed – the tram will be driving round the Christmas centre of Brno for the third year in a row. “I am very glad that working with the transport company we managed to create this attraction. This year, it will be newly decorated, and I believe that Brno’s residents and visitors will enjoy it again and get into the Christmas mood,” added Jiří Švachula, Deputy Mayor of Brno-střed.
The Christmas markets in Zelný trh and Moravské náměstí will end on December 23.
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