Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Dortmund Castle Christmas Market Halted for Two Years as Other Cities Cancel or Scale Back

Germany still plans thousands of holiday markets, with Berlin alone preparing more than 60 in 2025.

Overview

  • The Christmas market at Schloss Bodelschwingh in Dortmund is off for 2025 and 2026 as the castle grounds become a construction site.
  • Extensive restoration follows water damage to the listed building, with ecological upgrades to its moats slated to finish by late 2026 or early 2027.
  • Hamburg‑Rahlstedt’s Winterterrassen will not return after two seasons because vendors earned far less there than at larger markets, organizers said.
  • Rostock’s IGA‑Park historical market is canceled for a second consecutive year as organizers shift resources to a medieval event planned for May 2026.
  • Despite these local changes, Germany still hosts more than 2,500 Christmas markets each year, with over 60 planned in Berlin for 2025.