WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt
52°31′ N 13°24′ EBerlinfrom Nov 23Seasonal
WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt suits a couple who want Berlin's grandest square lit up for Advent, and the trade-off is a €2 entry charge outside the free weekday lunchtime window. visitBerlin lists the 2026 run as 23 November to 31 December, open to 22:00 most nights and 23:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt runs November 23, 2026 to December 31, 2026 · announced by a tourism board (source)
Advent SundaysGaudete, 13 DecemberChristmas Eve
Dates and hours
- November 23, 2026 to December 31, 2026Announcedsourcechecked Oct 10, 2026
Hours · Mon–Thu 12:00–22:00; Fri–Sat 12:00–23:00; Sun 12:00–22:00
- Dec 24, 2026 · 12:00–18:00 (Christmas Eve)
- Dec 31, 2026 · 12:00–24:00 (New Year's Eve, with a DJ and fireworks)
Access and crowds
- Getting around
- The Bezirksamt Mitte says the step-free redesign of the Gendarmenmarkt was finished in early 2025. The market publishes no access notes of its own.
The white tents fill the square between the Französischer Dom and the Deutscher Dom, with the Konzerthaus and its daily stage on the third side. Head into the heated craft tent to watch glassblowers and goldsmiths at work, then warm up in one of the gourmet tents when the wind comes across the paving. visitBerlin counts more than 600,000 visitors a year here. Dogs stay outside, as the market does not admit them.
On weekdays you get in free between 12:00 and 14:00, which makes a late lunch the cheapest way in. The Bezirksamt Mitte is choosing an operator for the 2027–2031 seasons through a new call, and its brief treats an entry charge of up to €2 as fair. On New Year's Eve the market stays open to midnight for the fireworks.
Worth knowing
- Arrive on a weekday between 12:00 and 14:00 and the €2 charge falls away.
- On 24 December the gates close at 18:00.
Quick answers about WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt
Does the Gendarmenmarkt Christmas market charge entry?
Yes. WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt charges €2 per person in 2026. Children under 12 go free, and everyone gets in free Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 14:00 except on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December.
When is the Gendarmenmarkt Christmas market open in 2026?
visitBerlin lists WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt from 23 November to 31 December 2026, open 12:00 to 22:00 Sunday to Thursday and 12:00 to 23:00 on Friday and Saturday. It closes at 18:00 on 24 December and stays open to midnight on 31 December.
In the journal and guides
Read more about WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt
Guide · 9 min read
Are German Christmas markets open on Sunday?
Every Advent Sunday is a market day in Germany. The two Sundays before Advent are different, and on 22 November 2026 most markets that have already opened stay shut.
Guide · 12 min read
What's open in Europe on Christmas Eve?
Seventy-nine markets open on 24 December 2026, and most of them close by 18:30, so do your last shopping before dark.
Guide · 10 min read
When do Christmas markets open in Germany in 2026?
Totensonntag falls on 22 November in 2026. Most German markets open in the week after it, and the date of a city's market comes from a rule you can read ahead.
Guide · 23 min read
When do Europe's Christmas markets open and close in 2026?
Vienna and Copenhagen open first, on 6 November 2026, and Cologne's Heumarkt keeps its stalls up until 10 January 2027. Every row below names who published the date.