Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market 2026 — opening hours, entry and what to see

From 23 November to 31 December 2026 the Christmas market returns to Gendarmenmarkt: between the French Cathedral, the German Cathedral and the Konzerthaus, on the square many call Berlin’s most beautiful. This page collects what the organiser states about opening hours and entry, and tells you what stands above the stalls — two figures who are on the square all year round and draw especially many eyes during Advent.

Opening hours and entry

The market opens daily at 11 am. From Sunday to Thursday it closes at 10 pm, on Friday and Saturday at 11 pm; on Christmas Eve it is open until 6 pm.¹ Entry costs €2. On weekdays between 11 am and 2 pm entry is free — except on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December. Children under 12 always enter free.¹ For New Year’s Eve the organiser announces a separate celebration with its own tickets; times and prices are on the organiser’s website.¹

What to see at the market

The centrepiece is the heated craft tent of around 1,000 square metres, where crafts are shown and demonstrated.¹ The stage runs a changing programme through the season, alongside stalls with Christmas food and drink.¹ The setting is what makes it special: the German and French Cathedrals face each other, with the Konzerthaus between them, built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel from 1818 to 1821 as a theatre.⁴

Who stands above the market

High above the stalls, the dome of the French Cathedral carries a gilded figure that Berlin has called “Nike” for generations. The State Monument Office describes it as the allegory of triumphant Religion, designed after Daniel Chodowiecki; the present figure was recreated by Achim Kühn in 1985, the original had been hammered in copper by Heinrich Friedrich Kambly.² In her raised hand she holds a palm branch, the ancient sign of victory. The tower measures 60.58 metres.⁵

In the middle of the square, in front of the Konzerthaus, stands Friedrich Schiller. Reinhold Begas created the monument in marble; it was unveiled on 10 November 1871.³ At Schiller’s feet sit Lyric Poetry, Tragedy, History and Philosophy.⁶

Talk to the figures

You can talk to both figures on BerliNike.Art, in the middle of the market on your phone or from home: the golden figure on the dome tells you what she sees above the square, Schiller answers about his monument and his time. The conversation runs right in your phone’s browser, in ten languages; the first 1:11 minutes are free.

BerliNike (Nike)The golden figure on the dome of the French Cathedral at Gendarmenmarkt.French Cathedral, Gendarmenmarkt · Dome figure since 1818Talk to the figure →

Friedrich SchillerThe Schiller Monument at Gendarmenmarkt, surrounded by four allegorical figures.Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin-Mitte · Poet, 1759 – 1805Talk to the figure →

Getting there

Gendarmenmarkt is in Berlin-Mitte on Französische Straße. The nearest U-Bahn stations are Stadtmitte (U2, U6) and Unter den Linden (U5, U6), both a few minutes’ walk away. More about the history of the square is in the chapter The Gendarmenmarkt — Schiller and the Golden Nike.