Germany-inspired Christmas market lights up in Sibiu

Tens of thousands of locals and visitors from the country and abroad experienced on Friday evening the awe of seeing the lights going up in the Christmas market opened in the historic center of Sibiu; the event has been running for 11 years now, patterned after Austrian and German markets held in celebration of Christmas. 

For the first time, German exhibitors have also come to display their products, attracted by the fame of this event which has been promoted as a tourist offer by the travel agencies. 

"It is the first year when there are over one hundred huts. What's truly remarkable from a touristic point of view is that Sibiu is fully booked already, and it's not even December. Just think that for a city which has no particular winter attraction, we don't have ski slopes, no such sport facilities, being fully booked when December is still well ahead is important," the organizer of the Sibiu Christmas market Andrei Dragan told AGERPRES, adding that apart from already fixture exhibitors from Hungary, this year a German chocolates confectioner has also joined the event. 

A 20-meter-high natural fir tree lavishly lit, dozens of smaller fir trees, glittery stars and virtual snowflakes projected on the fronts of the surrounding buildings under a huge dome of overhanging lights will create until January 3 the magic of winter holidays in Sibiu. 

Gingerbread, sweets specific to Sibiu, chocolates in unusual shapes like hammer, tap, scissors, cinnamon decorations, mulled wine with cinnamon, traditional cabbage meatballs, but also clothes, woolen gloves, hats and socks, handmade wooden toys, icons, and a plenty of other Christmas gifts, plus a Santa Claus ready for photos, a train running through the city center and Santa's carriage are all awaiting the visitors at the Sibiu Christmas market, which is organized in partnership with the local administration. AGERPRES ,