Germany's traditional Christmas markets officially opened their doors on Monday, inviting visitors to enjoy festive treats such as mulled wine, grilled sausages, potato pancakes, and caramelised apples.
Security measures have been significantly heightened across the country, a poignant reminder of two previous deadly attacks on similar events.
In Berlin, the renowned market at the Gedächtniskirche church commenced with a public service, joining other notable openings including those at the Rotes Rathaus, Gendarmenmarkt, and Charlottenburg Palace.
Vendors sell not only snacks and drinks but also handmade candles, wool hats, gloves and shiny Christmas stars in all colors and shapes. Children enjoy rides on chain carousels, Ferris wheels and skating on ice rinks.
Christmas markets are an annual tradition that Germans have cherished since the Middle Ages — and successfully exported to much of the Western world.
Security is an issue at all markets across the county.
Last year, five women and a boy died, and many were injured in a car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg on Dec. 20 that lasted just over a minute. The attacker is currently on trial in Magdeburg.
On Dec. 19, 2016, an attacker plowed through a crowd of Christmas market-goers at Ged�chtniskirche church in Berlin with a truck, killing 13 people and injuring dozens more in the German capital. The Muslim militant was killed days later in a shootout in Italy.
In the western city of Cologne, the Christmas market in front of the city's famous double-domed cathedral was packed with big crowds on Saturday.
"We sense a very good atmosphere here, so we feel that in these difficult times we are currently experiencing, we can give visitors a little moment of respite here," said Birgit Grothues, the spokeswoman for the market. "We see many smiling faces under our illuminated tent."
Nonetheless, she said that after last year's attack in Magdeburg, the city created a special security concept for its markets in close cooperation with police. It includes an additional anti-terrorism barrier and private security, she said.
