The typical Christmas or Advent markets in Tyrol have only existed since the second half of the 20th century. There used to be markets in the run-up to Christmas but they only lasted a few days each.On 4/5 and 6 December, for example, the Nikolaus Market, which took place in Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse in the town square from 1657 to 1861, from 1926 in Maria-Theresien-Strasse, then in Wilhelm-Greil-Strasse and most recently on Marktplatz square. The Thomas market around 21 December, also around since the 17th century, was supplanted by the Christmas markets in the 20th century. Munich and Nuremberg serve as models for this. The Christmas Market in front of the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) took place for the first time in 1945 – from then on but not every year. It was not until 1973 that the Innsbruck Christmas Market became an integral part of Advent in Tyrol.

Innsbruck’s first Christkindl procession is also down to the nobility. Introduced by Countess Julia Trapp in 1934, the procession took place – briefly interrupted during the Second World War – until the 1980s in the city centre. The idea of the Christkindl procession was revived in 2004. Today, it is part and parcel of “Advent in Tyrol”, just like the Innsbruck Christmas markets that take place during the Christmas in the Mountains celebrations.