The flax market around Linn Castle is a mecca for medieval fans, craftspeople and friends of historical trades: Over 300 exhibitors from all over Germany and nearby countries demonstrate here at Whitsun how they produce clothing, cultural objects and utilitarian items in the traditional way.
Hammer blows resound loudly across the square in front of the hunting lodge while the blacksmith works the next piece of metal on the anvil. Not far away, the glassblower slowly shapes a vase from a blank and then decorates it with fine ornaments. The instrument maker fulfills a musician's heart's desire in the English garden and makes him a custom-made guitar. On the green between the castle and the edge of the forest, the furrier shows how she prepares furs and leather for further processing.
The market is a hive of activity everywhere: Spectators at the stalls ask the craftspeople what individual work steps look like in practice. Whether flax spinner, clay maker, soap maker, rope maker or calligrapher - the masters of the trade answer with enthusiasm. If you like, you can also practice your chosen profession yourself. Always under the guidance of the professionals, of course.
An event with a 700-year tradition
The highlights of the event's program away from the stalls include jousting matches, tournaments and air shows: sometimes jealous noblemen fight with lance, sword and shield for the favor of a maiden, sometimes a falcon flies just above the rows of spectators. On the stages and paths, bards play the flute and lute, jugglers and fire acrobats let torches fly through the air here and there to the music.
Around 45,000 visitors come to the event in the Krefeld district of Linn every year. The market is based on a tradition dating back over 700 years, which was finally revived in 1974 after a 71-year break: First a place of exchange for flax and everyday objects after Linn was elevated to a town, then a fair with many attractions, and finally a crafts market in its current form.
