The Singing Christmas Tree

A tree becomes a stage

When Zurich tips into the Advent season, Werdmühleplatz on Bahnhofstrasse becomes a small Christmas world: a tree as a stage, voices in the air, people stopping to be enchanted. The Singing Christmas Tree is not an event to rush through, but a place for standing still, humming along, and being together.

And to this day, it is primarily one thing: a stage for voices. For school classes, children's and adult choirs, and for everyone who enjoys listening or singing along. The program is published each year in mid-November.

Around the tree lies one of the coziest food Christmas markets in the city: local delicacies, Swiss Christmas classics, and an atmosphere that invites you to linger. Just when the Advent season becomes hectic, Werdmühleplatz feels like a warm, sheltered pause. And for those who enjoy a truly wintry experience, the heated fondue chalet offers a warm corner for anyone wanting to dip cheese once again.

Zürich tradition with charisma

The format originated in 1998 from the idea of bringing singing back to the city, as a traditional Zurich format that has steadily evolved over the years. Today, the event at Werdmühleplatz is one of the largest Advent attractions: We count up to 250,000 visitors per year. And the Singing Christmas Tree is no longer just for the neighborhood; it attracts visitors from all over the world and is carried forward as an authentic Zurich experience. The Advent season is also very relevant for the city from a tourism perspective: Zurich Tourism points out that overnight stays in December have significantly increased in recent years, indicating how impactful Advent offerings and Christmas experiences are. And since 2022, the Zurich original has been carried beyond the national border for the first time: as the "Singing Christmas Tree" in the cultural and organ city of Waldkirch, with a partnership signature and its own local touch.