At 5:30 p.m. the time had come. City boss Michael Ludwig and Lower Austria’s governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner ceremoniously illuminated the Christmas tree on Vienna’s Rathausplatz today, Saturday. In addition to the tree, the town hall park also shined, including the popular “Herzerlbaum”, as well as the lighting of the Christmas market on the town hall square. This was followed by the unveiling of the dedication plaque, which honors tradition and customs, but also togetherness, community and family.
“The Christmas tree will give us a special, pre-Christmas atmosphere here at Vienna’s Rathausplatz. Advent is a time for reflection and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of our city. I would like to thank State Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the mayor of Rastenfeld, Gerhard Wandl, and his entire team for this beautiful tree. In addition to the more than 2,000 LED lights, this year we also decorated it with over 1,000 Christmas balls for the first time to make it shine even more. It is a symbol of the good cooperation between the federal states of Vienna and Lower Austria,” said city boss Ludwig.
Johanna Mikl-Leitner is also enthusiastic about this year’s Christmas tree: “According to the forestry director, the tree is one of the most beautiful of the last 25 years. We are particularly proud of this. With it we show that nothing has changed in the close ties between our two federal states.” She thanks Mayor Ludwig for the good cooperation and recalls the flood disaster. “Vienna was affected itself, but still supported Lower Austria with firefighters and equipment. A big thank you for that too.”
This year the Christmas tree for Vienna’s Rathausplatz comes from the neighboring federal state of Lower Austria. The 80-year-old and around 30 meter high spruce comes from the market town of Rastenfeld in the Krems-Land district in the Waldviertel.
Since 1959, Vienna has been presented with a Christmas tree every year by a different federal state, and since 1989 South Tyrol has also been part of this tradition. This year, Lower Austria is providing a tree for the seventh time, and next year a tree from Vorarlberg will be on the town hall square.
The festively decorated Christmas tree is one of the attractions of the Christmas market on Rathausplatz, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. until December 26th. In addition to the 99 stands, 22 of which are gastro stands with organic punch and delicacies, the Christmas market offers attractions that visitors love, such as the “Herzerlbaum” with its 200 red glowing hearts, including the half-hourly “Heart Flight”. Kiss space for romantic Christmas selfies or a 3,000 square meter ice rink for ice skating fans. New this year: Anyone who buys an annual ticket can continue skating at the subsequent “Vienna Ice Dream” from January 2025.
Attractions for children are the Viennese Christ child Lena and the children’s hut including a children’s area with storytellers, St. Nicholas and the opportunity to do crafts and play. The children’s program is free.
It’s also getting Christmassy in the town hall: the international Viennese Advent singing takes place in the festival hall for the 42nd time with concerts by more than 80 choirs from Austria and all over the world on the Advent weekends.
The Vienna Christmas market attracted 3.3 million visitors last year, almost half of them from Vienna. The event is a fixture in Vienna’s pre-Christmas season and is being organized for the second time by the city’s own city of Vienna Marketing. In 2023, the Financial Times ranked the Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz among the 10 best Christmas markets in the world, and in the same year the New York Times recommended it as a top winter attraction in Vienna. This year, the Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz was voted the best Christmas market in the world in the rankings of the news channel CNN.
More information: www.christkindlmarkt.at (Final) talk/to whom