Augsburg: Christmastime and the "Engelspiel"--a living Advent Calendar. by Beetravels on Nov 29, 2012Mehr
Augsburg: Christmastime and the "Engelspiel"--a living Advent Calendar.
by Beetravels on Nov 29, 2012
by Beetravels on Nov 29, 2012
Christmas in Augsburg and the Living Angel Advent Calendar
Best known and most unique are the angel performances, As the last bell sounds in the Perlach Tower, the lights on the city hall go dark. After a few seconds, 24 windows brighten in the beams of spotlights, and 24 angels throw open the sashes and stand with wings poised as their robes swirl in the wind. Organ music swells, and in two center …Mehr
Christmas in Augsburg and the Living Angel Advent Calendar
Best known and most unique are the angel performances, As the last bell sounds in the Perlach Tower, the lights on the city hall go dark. After a few seconds, 24 windows brighten in the beams of spotlights, and 24 angels throw open the sashes and stand with wings poised as their robes swirl in the wind. Organ music swells, and in two center windows of the town hall balcony, one angel lifts a horn, then another a flute, a third a lute, the last a harp as they "play" to the music filling the town square. Soon the sound of the instruments is joined by the voices of a children's chorus, as the angles, bathed in soft rose and yellow lights and their heads decked with white wigs, sing along. And as the music ends, the angels step back and, in perfect unison, grasp and pull shut the windows. The spotlights fade, the angels disappear, the outer lights go bright, and it's almost as if the several thousands residents and visitors release their breaths simultaneously.
The angels appear every Friday, Saturday and
Sunday at 6:00 pm. One exception is December 23: On this day the angels appear at 7:00 pm and walk down stairs to the city hall's portal.
An other Christmas Market highlight is the Fairytale Trail, set up in eight animated shop windows, featuring the "The Bird of Wishes”, a magical fairy tale for both children and adults. It is a story about small and really big wishes.
The majority of over 150 stalls are decorated in a beautiful Christmas fashion and offer a wide variety of hand crafted gift items and Christmas decorations.
One stand forms the base of a "Christmas pyramid," a four-level giant toy with revolving platforms that contain carved figures of angels and trumpeters. Bavarian specialties round up the menu, like Schupfnudeln, pinkie-shaped flour dumplings mixed with sauerkraut and bacon; Reibedutschi, grated potato pancakes served with applesauce; and Fleischküchle, a thick patty of chopped meat, bread, herbs and spices that may have served as a model for the hamburger.
As at all Christmas markets, an extensive variety of foods tempts visitors as they walk through "streets" with names like Star Way, Angel Street and Gingerbread Lane. There's no lack of usual fare like nuts, candy, crepes, chocolates, potato pancakes with applesauce, hot Glühwein and various sausages. Chestnuts are represented in many forms: roasted, chocolate covered, chestnut liqueur and chestnut honey.
www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/augsburg_christmas_market.php
Best known and most unique are the angel performances, As the last bell sounds in the Perlach Tower, the lights on the city hall go dark. After a few seconds, 24 windows brighten in the beams of spotlights, and 24 angels throw open the sashes and stand with wings poised as their robes swirl in the wind. Organ music swells, and in two center windows of the town hall balcony, one angel lifts a horn, then another a flute, a third a lute, the last a harp as they "play" to the music filling the town square. Soon the sound of the instruments is joined by the voices of a children's chorus, as the angles, bathed in soft rose and yellow lights and their heads decked with white wigs, sing along. And as the music ends, the angels step back and, in perfect unison, grasp and pull shut the windows. The spotlights fade, the angels disappear, the outer lights go bright, and it's almost as if the several thousands residents and visitors release their breaths simultaneously.
The angels appear every Friday, Saturday and
Sunday at 6:00 pm. One exception is December 23: On this day the angels appear at 7:00 pm and walk down stairs to the city hall's portal.
An other Christmas Market highlight is the Fairytale Trail, set up in eight animated shop windows, featuring the "The Bird of Wishes”, a magical fairy tale for both children and adults. It is a story about small and really big wishes.
The majority of over 150 stalls are decorated in a beautiful Christmas fashion and offer a wide variety of hand crafted gift items and Christmas decorations.
One stand forms the base of a "Christmas pyramid," a four-level giant toy with revolving platforms that contain carved figures of angels and trumpeters. Bavarian specialties round up the menu, like Schupfnudeln, pinkie-shaped flour dumplings mixed with sauerkraut and bacon; Reibedutschi, grated potato pancakes served with applesauce; and Fleischküchle, a thick patty of chopped meat, bread, herbs and spices that may have served as a model for the hamburger.
As at all Christmas markets, an extensive variety of foods tempts visitors as they walk through "streets" with names like Star Way, Angel Street and Gingerbread Lane. There's no lack of usual fare like nuts, candy, crepes, chocolates, potato pancakes with applesauce, hot Glühwein and various sausages. Chestnuts are represented in many forms: roasted, chocolate covered, chestnut liqueur and chestnut honey.
www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/augsburg_christmas_market.php