Markthal hosts Christmas Hall from 5 December 2026

Markthal in Rotterdam becomes Rotterdam’s Christmas Hall from 5 December 2026, bringing a seasonal programme to the covered market beneath its vast artwork. The operator lists the event through 27 December, while the city broadcaster describes weekend singers, Santa visits and a brass band inside the hall.

Rotterdam’s Christmas Hall starts on 5 December

The operator’s programme runs from 5 December to 27 December 2026 and presents the market hall as Rotterdam’s Christmas Hall. Its announcement names winter acts, a visit from Santa and festive moments during December, with the full period shown on the operator’s Christmas programme.

OPEN Rotterdam gives the programme a more specific weekend shape. Its report says that singers appear on different weekends, Santa and his wife visit, and a brass band moves through the hall. Christmas-themed pop-up stalls are also planned, adding seasonal displays to the existing food market rather than replacing it. The broadcaster places the programme from Saturday 5 December through Sunday 27 December 2026 in the Rotterdam Christmas calendar.

Markthal’s Christmas programme meets MVRDV architecture

The building opened in 2014 and was designed by the architectural firm MVRDV. Its horseshoe-shaped arch combines apartments with the market hall, restaurants, food stands and specialist shops, creating a covered public setting for the December programme.

Above the stalls, the ceiling carries Horn of Plenty, a colourful artwork by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. Visit Rotterdam describes the artwork as covering more than 11,000 square metres, so the Christmas programme will take place beneath a permanent visual feature that is part of the building itself. This links the seasonal event to the hall’s architectural identity rather than to a separate temporary venue. Rotterdam Tourist Information also confirms the building’s position beside Blaak station and its combination of food, retail and residential uses in its Rotterdam landmark guide.

Visiting Markthal: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Rotterdam’s Christmas Hall runs at Markthal from 5 December to 27 December 2026, with the programme concentrated on weekend days.
• The announced access detail is a seasonal programme inside the market hall, including singers, Santa visits, a brass band and Christmas-themed pop-up stalls.
• The venue is at Ds. Jan Scharpstraat 298 in Rotterdam, beside Blaak station. Train, metro, tram and bus services reach the area, and a car park is beneath the building.
• The interior combines food stands, restaurants, specialist shops and apartments in the arch, while Horn of Plenty covers more than 11,000 square metres overhead.
• The building opened in 2014 and was designed by MVRDV, giving the December programme a setting with a documented architectural history.

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Frequently asked questions about Markthal

When does Rotterdam’s Christmas Hall take place at Markthal?

The programme runs from 5 December to 27 December 2026, with activities described for weekend days.

What is Markthal?

Markthal is a covered market and mixed-use building in Rotterdam that opened in 2014 and was designed by MVRDV.

Where is Markthal and how do you get there?

Markthal is at Ds. Jan Scharpstraat 298 beside Blaak station in Rotterdam, which is served by train, metro, tram and bus.