{"id":215,"date":"2015-12-08T22:31:46","date_gmt":"2015-12-08T21:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=215"},"modified":"2025-12-29T12:47:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T11:47:32","slug":"freyung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/christmasmarkets\/freyung\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas market on the Freyung"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/freyungsmall.jpg\" alt=\"Freyung Christmas market\" class=\"wp-image-8519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/freyungsmall.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/freyungsmall-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>At Christmas, the central historical Freyung square hosts the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt. Consider it a gentler alternative to the larger markets elsewhere in Vienna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Traditional old Christmas market<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Farmer&#8217;s market attached<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strong on decorations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expect around 57 stands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2026 dates: TBA (was Nov 14 &#8211; Dec 23 in 2025)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/concerts-opera-vienna-tickets-l206741\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Xmas\" rel=\"sponsored\">classical concert experience<\/a>* for your Vienna trip<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nearby:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/alte-borse\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"69243\">Classical music in the Alte B\u00f6rse<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/christmas-markets\/\">All Christmas markets<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/december\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"18508\">December activities<\/a> in Vienna<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Altwiener Christkindlmarkt<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/altwienerchristkindlmarkt.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance to the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt\" class=\"wp-image-46026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/altwienerchristkindlmarkt.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/altwienerchristkindlmarkt-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(One entrance to the market)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/freyung-2\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"29646\">Freyung<\/a> is the name given to an open area in the heart of Vienna ringed by both the ancient Schottenstift abbey (whose origins date back to the middle of the 12th century) and the townhouses of the former nobility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m sure the Irish monks that founded the abbey would roll their eyes in disappointment (or perhaps not?) at the vast quantities of punch that disappear here through Advent, but the modern Viennese certainly seem to approve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Freyung seasonal market (the <em>Altwiener Christkindlmarkt<\/em>) stretches across the front of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/schottenkirche\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"27651\">church<\/a> and other abbey buildings and down to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/austriabrunnen\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"29810\">Austriabrunnen<\/a>: a mid-19th-century fountain that used rivers as metaphors for the extent of the Austrian empire.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/freyungchristmasaisle.jpg\" alt=\"Seasonal December market stalls\" class=\"wp-image-83095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/freyungchristmasaisle.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/freyungchristmasaisle-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Historical ambience and stalls selling a variety of products)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The locality feels a touch less frantic than you get elsewhere; a proper little market where the surrounding historical buildings give everything a tucked away feeling; the two aisles create a jolly atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This makes a particularly good alternative if you&#8217;re searching for something to give your home a seasonal makeover: a large cabin full of Christmas-themed baubles and similar typically occupies the centre with nearby stands also selling decorations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Otherwise, expect a high-quality mix of craft items, gourmet treats, and delicatessen products. On my 2025 visit, I particularly liked the soaps disguised as pralines: a nice gift option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An annual highlight is also the huge 46m nativity scene (based on an 1830 painting by Josef Ritter von F\u00fchrich) that runs along the backs of one row of huts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-slug-ids=\"pro1119393,pro1029872\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_ChristmasNew\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Do cross the road, too, to browse more stalls selling regional and organic produce. This &#8220;farmer&#8217;s market&#8221; is a great place, for example, to get specialty hams and cheeses (I spotted organic cheddar in 2025) or sip on regional wine in the shadow of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/palais-harrach\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"29751\">Palais Harrach<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have undying love for the sharp Bergk\u00e4se mountain cheese that tastes like someone&#8217;s drilling your back teeth (but in a nice way).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At one end of this section, you also normally find a handful of booths forming a standalone charity Christmas market.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/freyungchristmaswindow.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas decorations in the window of a wooden market hut\" class=\"wp-image-65908\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/freyungchristmaswindow.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/freyungchristmaswindow-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(A central hut typically appears and sells a whole range of decorations)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It won&#8217;t take you long to get around the Freyung market. So consider combining your visit with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/christmasmarkets\/am-hof\/\">Am Hof Christmas market<\/a>, which also focuses on arts and crafts and is just a few throws of a punch mug nearer the city centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, wander up Teinfaltstra\u00dfe to find the huge <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/christmasmarkets\/rathausplatz\/\">Rathausplatz market<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it gets too cold for you, leave the Freyung square while keeping the abbey on your right to reach one of Vienna&#8217;s nicer coffee houses (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/eatingdrinking\/cafespubsbars\/cafe-diglas-schottenstift\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"54085\">Caf\u00e9 Diglas<\/a> at Schottengasse 2, home to my favourite banana slice).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/freyungnativitywall.jpg\" alt=\"Nativity scene along a wall\" class=\"wp-image-46027\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/freyungnativitywall.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/freyungnativitywall-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The nativity scene runs alongside the road)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And should you feel the need to load up on culture points before or after gorging on market delights, then the square and surrounds offer several strong options. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Evening classical concerts at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/alte-borse\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"69243\">Old Stock Exchange<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/palais-schonborn-batthyany\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"22840\">Palais Sch\u00f6nborn-Batthy\u00e1ny<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/museums\/schottenstift-museum\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"22838\">Schottenstift Museum<\/a> with its famous 15th-century altar panels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2026 dates &amp; times<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t have 2026 details at the time of writing. The previous Altwiener Christkindlmarkt opened from November 14th until December 23rd with times of 10am to 9pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get to the Freyung<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The market is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/walking-tour\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"50322\">short walk<\/a> from the major sights in the city centre and just south of Schottentor, which is on the U2 subway line and tram lines 1, D, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 and 71. (Yep, a lot of trams stop at Schottentor.) The 1A bus stops at the Freyung itself: the Teinfaltstrasse stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Address: Freyung, 1010 Vienna | <a href=\"https:\/\/altwiener-markt.at\/de\/christmas\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1IV8M9-mH8kPwIX-r4le-2hv35XE\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Christmas, the central historical Freyung square hosts the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt. Consider it a gentler alternative to the larger markets elsewhere in Vienna. Altwiener Christkindlmarkt (One entrance to the market) The Freyung is the name given to an open area in the heart of Vienna ringed by both the ancient Schottenstift abbey (whose origins date [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8519,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-215","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-christmasmarkets","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215"}],"version-history":[{"count":51,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87787,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215\/revisions\/87787"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}