If you always felt your average Christmas market needs more mead, then head over to Vienna’s Museum of Military History (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum) for the annual Advent market.
- Market food and flair with a historical slant
- Entertainments such as music or sword fighting
- Strong medieval flavour
- Usually charges a small entrance fee that includes museum entry
- 2025 dates: TBA (was Nov 28 – Dec 1 in 2024)
- Book a classical concert experience* for your trip
- See also:
The HGM Adventzauber
(Not your average Christmas decoration)
Vienna offers a couple of alternatives if you’ve had enough of the standard Christmas markets.
Essentially, you can go in two directions…
The MQ winter event represents the futuristic alternative, with barely a wooden decoration in sight and plenty of exotic-sounding 21st-century drinks.
The Advent market at the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum is the more historical alternative, where the announcements might come through a town crier, and dragons must be kept on a leash (no exceptions).
(Fewer bottles, more jars and flasks)
The market opens for just a few days near the start of the Advent season, occupying an area in and around the Museum of Military History.
If you’re now imagining handicrafts, roast pork on an open spit, spiced mead in earthenware mugs, and similar, then you’d be on the right track.
In previous years, the market carried the name “medieval” but the 2024 version was pitched as not limited to any particular theme .
Nevertheless, the medieval era dominated on my visit. Kids, for example, could enjoy a bit of miniature jousting. And tented booths sold clothing and weapons for reenactments and cosplay (seemed like a good place for your House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power costumes).
Other stalls offered historical-flavoured jewellery, leather goods, crockery, and crafts. Not to mention plenty of food, most with a strong rustic feel to it. I particularly loved the handmade pipes by “Der Schmuckmacher”: they would not look out of place on the set of Lord of the Rings.
The entertainment included regular demonstrations of sword fighting techniques, acrobatics, historical music performances, and an evening fire show.
(Merry Christmas)
Many visitors and most booth staff also dressed for the occasion, which added to the authenticity.
Essentially, the market offers something a little different to rows of Christmas baubles. The event used to be jam packed, but the introduction of an entry fee has made everything a little less cluttered.
2025 dates & times
I don’t have 2025 details yet. The previous Advent market ran from November 28th to December 1st. Opening times were:
- Thursday: 1pm to 10pm
- Friday and Saturday: 10am to 10pm
- Sunday: 10am to 8pm
The couple of years, the market has charged adults a small entrance fee, which included access to the museum itself.
Do put aside a few extra minutes to browse the displays in the museum, if you have time, which feature such highlights as the bloodstained uniform of Franz Ferdinand (and the car from the assassination at Sarajevo) or the coat worn by Napoleon on his way into exile.
How to get to the market
You reach the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum relatively easily via public transport, though it involves a little bit of walking. Check the main museum article for tips on which trams, buses and subways to take.
If you want to combine the visit with an entirely conventional Christmas market, then nip down Arsenalstraße and keep going to reach the Belvedere one (which includes a a fairytale photo opportunity).
Address: Arsenal, Objekt 1, Ghegastraße, 1030 Vienna | Website