The streets of my city: Zibelemärit edition

The fourth Monday in November is the traditional Zibelemärit (onion market) in Bern. Local legend says the tradition dates back to the early 1400s. In May of 1405, the worst fire in the city's history burned more than 600 buildings of the Old Town to the ground; old stories say that citizens from the neighboring Kanton of Fribourg came to the aid of Bern. In return for this assistance, they are said to have earned the right to sell their wares in the Bernese market once a year. The Seeland region of Fribourg is known to this day for its vegetables, especially tomatoes, but it is said that back then they specialized in onions and so when they came to the markets they came above all with onions and the Zibelemärit was born. This is mostly legend though; the true story is more prosaic. As the city of Bern continued to expand, and especially with the construction of the Rathaus (city hall) and the Munster (cathedral), the existing markets no longer met the need and the city government instituted two additional markets, one beginning on the day of Saint Martin (November 11) and running the following 8 days, and a second in May. The so-called Martini Market was the forerunner of the Zibelemärit.

I must say, I prefer the legend.

Today the Zibelemärit has morphed into part market, part parade, part party, part excuse to take the day off but it remains an important onion market; according to the evening news the stalls sold approximately 42 tons of onions yesterday. I don't know if that figure includes all the Zibelechueche (onion tarts) and Zibelesuppe (onion soup) that is consumed, or if it's just the amount of raw onions sold. They are sold in bulk, of course, simply as onions, but also in traditional braids or wreaths.






You can also buy onion figurines.



And necklaces.



And ropes of peppermint candies (said to aide digestion) made to mimic the ropes of onions.



Or just a pretty little thing.



But be careful! Bands of youths roam the crowds bonking people on the head with little plastic hammers and throwing confetti in faces, all the better if somebody has an open mouth!



You can read more about the Zibelemärit (in German) here.