Maulbronn Monastery Christmas Market
“It looks like a movie set, mom,” Brian correctly summed up. We’ve been here six months now and I sometimes wonder if my children have become used to all the half-timbered buildings and the fact that the buildings they see everyday hold hundreds of years of life and history. It really does look like a movie set sometimes!
We drove the family over the river and through the woods just north of Stuttgart last weekend on a mission to see two different Christmas markets that we were told were worthwhile. Maulbronn monastery is tucked away in such a quiet village and reminded me right away of my favorite place where we lived in England — Fountains Abbey.
Maulbronn is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the perfect setting for a small Christmas market. The village surrounding it feels like you’ve stepped back in time to a quiet and purposeful medieval life. There’s a wall surrounding it and small passageways and connecting streets all leading to the doors of this very important Cistercian monastery. It is the best-preserved monastery north of the Alps dating back to 1147 with perfect early Gothic architecture and design. The beautiful doors are the oldest dateable doors in Germany.
The market happens just one weekend a year so it feels special and brings out everyone local, and some from far away for handmade crafts and gifts along with all the delicious German foods and drinks for the season.
I loved seeing the chalets of fresh cut mistletoe tied with red ribbons. Brian and Nola were amazed by the bowls of “treasures” like chicken feet, fossils, and animal skins. And Brian picked out the perfect gift for his violin teacher — a handmade metal violin ornament.
The kids are still excited to get out to explore all the markets because I promise them they can order anything they want to eat. So far it’s proven the best strategy for keeping everyone happy, because sometimes family outings can be filled with whining. So far, they’re loving German Christmas Markets. Nola always chooses a bratwürst on a great roll with mustard. Matt went for a delicious brisket sandwich on real good, spicy bread. Brian chose a crepe (can’t ever go wrong there), and Emme and I held out hoping to find something at the next market that day.
We sipped on hot kinderpunsch (like wassail or spiced cider), listened to music, and wondered what some of the items were, like these stars on sticks. Lots of children were carrying them around and it looked so beautiful and festive.
Overall we left wanting to go back when we can visit inside the monastery and I am putting on my ever growing list of things to do with Joel when he comes back. He’s been gone for two months now as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is so happy and doing well. We miss him!
