Veitch's fir tree adorns Dresden's Striezelmarkt

In three and a half weeks, the Striezelmarkt in the heart of Dresden will welcome its first visitors, and now the tree is already up: a 20-metre-high Veitchs fir. It is around 50 years old and previously adorned a private property on the outskirts of the city. The tree was sawn down there on Saturday morning and loaded onto a heavy-duty transporter with the help of a crane. This then transported the fir tree to the Altmarkt, according to the city administration. Veitch's fir trees are originally native to Japan.

At the beginning of the week, the tree will be decorated with lights and a star at the top to give the 591st Dresden Striezelmarkt a homely atmosphere during the Advent season. Its opening will be celebrated on November 26 from 3.00 p.m. with a church service in the Kreuzkirche and a subsequent light launch on the Altmarkt. The traditional Striezelmarkt is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until December 24 (Christmas Eve until 2 p.m.).