Event
Traditional Altenkirchen Simon Juda Market
This year, the Simon-Juda market in the district town of Altenkirchen will once again attract numerous visitors. The traditional Simon-Juda market is the oldest market still held in Altenkirchen. It starts at 8.00 a.m. and ends in the evening hours.
About 80 market traders from near and far offer their wide range of goods on this day. Not only will you be well served at the Simon Juda Market, the numerous specialist shops in the district town will have many a nice or useful bargain in shop for visitors to the town and for customers.
The venue for the colourful market hustle and bustle is the entire pedestrian zone (Wilhelmstraße, Marktplatz and Schlossplatz) in Altenkirchen.
The history of the market:
In 1314, the town of Altenkirchen was granted its town charter. Since then, markets have been held in Altenkirchen, one of which is the Simon Juda Market. Traditionally, this market is held every year on the last Friday in October.
It probably takes its name from the apostle Simon Cananaeus, the Zealot, whose name day is 28 October. In this context, it should be noted that the market is called "Siwwe-Jürren-Maat" in the dialect. In earlier centuries, markets were more important than they are today. They served, among other things, to supply articles of daily use, food and trade in livestock. At the same time, they were highlights of peasant life. Market activities were strictly regulated by the authorities. The farmers' markets were held on the market square, which had been built after the fire of 1728. Cattle markets were held outside the town walls. At the end of the 18th century, during the so-called Revolutionary Wars, the French closed the livestock market in Altenkirchen because of a rampant disease.
in Altenkirchen because of a rampant cattle epidemic, cattle markets were held for a time at the customs house in Eichelhardt and in Oberwambach. In 1853, Altenkirchen's municipal council worked to revive the livestock market. It made the municipal clay pit ("Leimkaul") on Hachenburger Straße available as a site and agreed to buy or lease an acre of land next to it. The clay pit is an area on the right before the junction of Karlstraße. Seven years later, the council advocates that mountain and Sauerland breeding cattle should also be brought to market. The minutes state that "fat cattle from the Westerwald farmers are driven through the town in herds of hundreds".
Even today, the Simon-Judah market is an outstanding event for the entire region.
Contact and directions
Innenstadt
57610 Altenkirchen