“It is great to have the craftsmen and minstrels here again. I am hoping everything runs well and peacefully,” he said at his 25th opening of the Medieval Market after the craftsmen had been introduced. The blacksmith Thomas Siebel, known as “Iron Thomas”, who makes jewellery and knifes out of iron and happily explains his work to children and school classes, is among those taking part again this year.

27. Mittelalterlicher Markt in Siegburg

Over the next few weeks, visitors can learn about the job of a wood turner from Marian Busch and his father. They will demonstrate how small decorative fir trees or toy compasses can be made out of wood. In the medieval “Avernus” tent, Marie Christin Gnasnick and Christopher Behling explain what can be made from natural materials like hazelnuts, logs and mussels as well as lesser known materials such as deer antler discs. “Here, children can make necklaces out of natural products some of which were also used in the Middle Ages,” explains Gnasnick. She has a stand at the Siegburg Medieval market for the first time and is already feeling very at home after several hours. “I really like the market. It is very authentic and you only hear good things.”

Visitors coming from the Black Forest

Most visitors agree. Bettina Wilbers from the Black Forest visits a friend in Siegburg every year so she can enjoy the medieval market. “I think it’s really nice here. There are special things to eat which are not available at normal Christmas markets. This medieval flair is something quite special,” says the Black Forest resident.

The culinary specialties include the bread that Otto Molnar and his team prepare in the medieval bakery. “People are crazy about it! The bread has become a tradition here in Siegburg. We were here for the 19th time,” says the baker. He prepares the dough, which has no additives, on site and then bakes it in a special medieval oven heated solely by wood. “At first we started with two ovens but now we need five,” says Molnar.

Hopes for good weather

The traditional roasting stand is also at the Christmas market again this year. Whole pigs are roasted over an open fire. “Ten kilos take around an hour over the fire, so a pig is cooked in three to four hours,” explains Peter Krumbiegel. However, he did not want to reveal how many pigs are roasted during the medieval market.

At the end of his speech, Mayor Franz Huhn hoped for better weather than last year. But as was clear from the first day, even rain does not appear to stop visitors from coming to the medieval market in the district town.

(Original text: Marie Schneider. Translation: kc)