German Christmas markets — before and during the pandemic

Established in 1434, Dresden's Striezelmarkt is among the world's oldest Christmas fairs. This year, it opens on November 22. It will be its 587th iteration, no less. It's name — Striezelmarkt — derives from the German word Striezel, meaning Christmas cake. Dresden's Striezelmarkt usually draws an average 2.5 million visitors each year, making it the country's fifth most popular.

Last year, the people of Dresden had to make do without their beloved festive market. Striezelmarkt, like so many Christmas markets across Germany, was called off to help curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The impressive Christmas tree, manger and cheery decorations looked somewhat out of place in the forlorn city center.

Busy stalls and crowds of people at Frankfurt's annual Christmas market — prior to the coronavirus outbreak, that is. Look carefully, and you'll spot the medieval "Römer" building in the background — which has housed Frankfurt's city hall since the 15th century. The city began staging Christmas markets as early as 1393.

The year 2020 marked a sad exception, as this picture from December 13 shows. Frankfurt's fair was called off, leaving city hall square unusually empty for much of the holiday season. The town didn't even illuminate its Christmas tree. Normally, some 2.6 million people flock to the fair — making it Germany's fourth busiest, according to a study by tourism consultancy IFT.

Munich's annual Christmas market is Germany's third most popular, attracting some 3 million revelers annually. This year, it will open to the public on November 22, like its Dresden and Frankfurt counterparts. Munich Christkindlmarkt is not to be confused with similarly sounding, but far more famous Nuremberg Christkindlmarkt.

Nuremberg's Christkindlmarkt, held in Bavaria's second-largest city, is known worldwide — pulling in crowds of some 2 million people each season. However, Nuremberg's fair is considerably smaller than the one in Munich, owing to its compact, medieval city center. Last year, both were canceled. Here, police are patrolling Munich's practically deserted Marienplatz in 2020.

The capital of Baden-Württemberg traditionally hosts a sizable market as well. This year, Stuttgart's Christmas market will open on November 24, and unlike many other fairs, it will remain open until December 30. Stuttgart's Christmas market is Germany's second-most visited fair, drawing an average of 3.5 million people each year.

Last year's market was a shadow its former self, with the few remaining stalls shuttered. To ensure the 2021 Stuttgart Christmas market will be a COVID-free success, authorities have decided visitors will be issued wristbands indicating whether they've been vaccinated, have recovered from COVID-19, or tested negative for the virus — a bit like attending a music festival.

The Cologne Cathedral Christmas market is a veritable visitor magnet, typically attracting some 4 million people each winter. That makes it the country's most popular by far. It also draws the largest share of foreign guests of all of Germany's Christmas markets. And it's beautiful LED decorations are bound to put you in a festive mood.

Last winter, however, the square outside Cologne's landmark cathedral looked rather cheerless without its traditional Christmas market and joyful merrymakers. But this year's fair is bound to make a glorious comeback. And for the first time in a decade, Cologne Cathedral is actually free of scaffolding. What's not to like?