Booth construction
This is how the booths are built
When the main market is suddenly fenced off in the second or third week of November and all the market stalls are moved towards the Lorenzkirche, we Nurembergers know that the Christkindlesmarkt is about to start! What you don't see later as you stroll through the stall alleys is how much work is actually behind the entire market. Setting up the stalls is probably the most strenuous part.
What's behind every single booth:
140 wooden stalls (the number can vary slightly from year to year depending on the showman) are lined up on the main market right on time for the start of the market. Each of them consists of around 50 individual parts - the wider the stall, the more wooden parts. The largest pieces, the gables, weigh an impressive 145 kg. Apart from the width, which can vary from stall to stall, all the stalls are built in exactly the same way and are all the same height.
However, you usually don't see much of the wooden base frame later on because it is covered by signs, fabrics and other hangings. The cladding of the stalls is left up to the showmen themselves.
Who actually sets up the Christkindlesmarkt?
The City of Nuremberg's Servicebetrieb Öffentlicher Raum (SÖR for short) - or carpentry and bricklaying - departments. Around 20 workers are involved in the construction of each individual Christkindlesmarkt stall. They are assembled piece by piece in 3 teams. Everything is up and running within a week - with the exception of the Children's Christmas Market and the Market of the Sister Cities, as these are now set up by external companies.
Fun Fact
The stalls are - normally - taken apart again in time for December 27. However, if it snows too much or other extreme weather conditions prevail, the Christkindlesmarkt will remain closed for the time being! This actually has nothing to do with the work on the stalls themselves, but with the fact that the SÖR companies are also responsible for winter maintenance in Nuremberg - and this is higher on the priority list than dismantling the Christkindlesmarkt.
Repairs & historical parts
During dismantling, the booths are also inspected to check their condition and which parts need to be repaired. These are then not stored with the other components, but kept separately and repaired accordingly throughout the year. The oldest part that is still being set up today is from the first Christmas market after the Second World War - from 1948!
Master carpenter Steffen Michel, head of the SÖR carpentry, is responsible for maintaining the stalls as well as for the set-up and dismantling team. His main task is to organize the stall construction for the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt. And there really is a lot to do! All the employees have to be coordinated, the special permits for the trips of the low-loaders have to be written and the driving orders for the forklift drivers have to be issued. Setting up the Christkindlesmarkt is a logistical masterpiece - as the stalls are stored at the wholesale market throughout the year and have to be delivered to the right place on the main market at the right time to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Find out more about the head of the SÖR carpentry department Steffen Michel
Steffen’s highlight at the Christkindlesmarkt?
“My personal highlight is visiting the market with my family. After all, the family wants to see what you've been up to over the last few weeks and where you've been all day,” he jokes. “Of course, you're a bit proud to be an important part of the Christkindlesmarkt with the whole team.”
Categories at
Booth construction
Vegetarian and vegan food at the Christkindlesmarkt