The Zibelemärit ( Bernese German dialect; ) is an annual market with aspects of a

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...

in the old town of

Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. It takes place the fourth Monday in November.

History

Historical research indicates that the ''Zibelemärit'' originated in the 1850s with , farmer's wives from around Murten, coming to Bern at around St. Martin's Day to sell their produce; however, a persistent local legend holds that the ''Zibelemärit'' is a much older festivity. According to this legend, the Bernese awarded the people from the nearby city of Fribourg the right to sell onions in the city in reward for their aid after a

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

destroyed much of

in 1405.

Description

As the name indicates, it is mainly onions that are sold on the ''Zibelemärit''. Bernese farmers, who are proud of their decorative onion tresses and onion wreaths, also sell other onion products on the market, including Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie), onion soup and onion sausages. Decorative chains of sugar onions are also popular with children. The ''Zibelemärit'' opens very early in the day, at around 03:00 to 04:00. Later in the morning, the narrow alleys are usually packed tight with people, which is what the Bernese call the ''Gstungg''. A general confetti battle in which mostly children participate ensues at four o'clock in the afternoon, officially ending the market.

Notes and references

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Zibelemärit
on g26.ch Culture in Bern Food markets Tourist attractions in Bern {{Switzerland-stub