Rothenburg ob der Tauber · Germany
Rothenburg Reiterlesmarkt
Reiterlesmarkt
20 Nov – 23 Dec 2026 Not confirmed
Official websiteDates and hours may change. Check them on the market's official site.
Key facts
| City | Rothenburg ob der Tauber |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| Location | Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany |
| Dates | 20 Nov – 23 Dec 2026 Not confirmed |
| Opening hours | Sunday to Thursday 11:00-19:00; Friday and Saturday 11:00-20:00; closed on Totensonntag (22 Nov 2026) (source: https://www.rothenburg.de/erleben/veranstaltungen/weihnachtsmarkt-/-reiterlesmarkt) |
| Official website | Official website |
| Map pin | 49.37721, 10.17901. Approximate location from the sources used for this page. |
About the market
The Alt-Rothenburger Reiterlesmarkt is the Christmas market of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The town's tourism office counts it among the most popular Advent markets in Germany and says it is regarded as one of the country's most charming. It sits in the scenery between the town hall and St. Jakob church. Traditionally it spreads across the Marktplatz, the Grüner Markt and the Kirchplatz, with more stalls in the Lichthof at the town hall. The market has 61 stalls, and the whole old town is decorated with lights through Advent. The 2026 edition runs from 20 November to 23 December and is closed on Totensonntag, 22 November. Hours are 11:00 to 19:00 from Sunday to Thursday and 11:00 to 20:00 on Friday and Saturday. The 2027 market is planned for 19 November to 23 December, closed on 21 November. The opening follows a set tradition on the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent. The Reiterle first rides onto the Marktplatz on horseback and speaks a greeting to the waiting crowd. After words of welcome from the Oberbürgermeister, the large Christmas tree in the middle of the square is lit. Each evening a handmade Advent window is opened on the town hall's second floor, made by school classes and youth groups from the region. The sources give no founding date or detailed history for the market.
Sources: rothenburg.de.
About Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a town in the Ansbach district of Middle Franconia, in Bavaria. It has about 11,300 residents and covers 41.67 square kilometres. It is best known for its well-preserved medieval old town, which draws visitors from around the world, and it lies on the Romantic Road. It is one of only four German towns, with Nördlingen, Dinkelsbühl and Berching, whose city walls are completely intact. The name means 'Red castle above the Tauber'. Rothenburg was a free imperial city from the late Middle Ages until 1803, and the city was founded in 1170, with the marketplace and St. James' Church at its centre. Its legend of the Meistertrunk, set in the Thirty Years' War, is almost certainly apocryphal. In the 19th century Romantic artists and then the first tourists came, and laws were passed to prevent major changes to the town. A bombing raid on 31 March 1945 destroyed around 275 houses, about 32% of the total, and the rebuilt facades are plainer than the medieval ones. Donations from around the world helped the rebuilding, and some wall sections carry bricks with donors' names. At the end of the year the tourism office says the town shows itself at its most beautiful for romantics. In Advent the old town is lit, and the Reiterlesmarkt is held between the town hall and St. Jakob.
Sources: Wikipedia. Some wording is drawn from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Photos
AIA Labs publishes this page as an independent guide. It is not the market's own website.