Photo: Fires of the Ewige Anbetung light festival above Pottenstein, Franconia, Germany.  January 6.

A thousand fires are lit as the light of a cold January day fades into night and the hillsides and forests surrounding the small Franconian village of Pottenstein are illuminated in a brilliant glow.

The fires are part of the Catholic celebration of the Ewige Anbetung (Eternal Adoration) which occurs in Pottenstein, Franconia on the 6th of January every year.  The light and fire festival attracts thousands of visitors who line the hillsides and fill the streets, braving the cold and watching a display that can only described as spectacular.  To see the Lichterfest in person is a memorable moment of any winter holiday in Germany.

When

The Ewige Anbetung fire festival occurs every year on January 6th.

The fires are lit around 5pm as the sky gets dark.  Be sure to arrive early to find parking and have time to hike to up one of the hills.  The fires will burn for a couple hours into the night.

Where

Pottenstein is located in the heart of the scenic Franconian Switzerland (Fränkische Schweiz) region of Upper Franconia (Oberfranken), Bavaria, Germany.  Postcode 91278

Getting There

By car: Taking the A9 autobahn,  Pottenstein is approximately 1 hour north of Nuremberg or 30 minutes south of Bayreuth.  Exit the A9 at exit 44-Pegnitz and continue west along the B470 to Pottenstein; Aprox 10 km

Train/Bus:  Pottenstein can be reached in about 1.5 hours by public transport from Nuremberg or Bayreuth.  While a variety of options are possible, the most straight forward is to travel by train to Pegnitz, and then transfer to bus: direction Ebermannstadt Bahnhof.

CLICK HERE for the Deutsche Bahn website

Further Info

Pottenstein, Germany

Other Light Festivals in the Region (in German)

CLICK HERE for a list of other nearby light festivals in the Fränkische Schweiz region in the weeks preceding the festival in Pottenstein.

Photo: Burg Pottenstein and fires of Ewige Anbetung Lichterfest, Pottenstein, Franconia, Germany.  January 6, 2009

Photo: Narrow streets and historic architecture of Pottenstein, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany.

Photo: This hills are ablaze.  Ewige Anbetung Lichterfest, Pottenstein, Franconia, Germany.  January 6, 2009

Photo: Spectators line the fire covered hillsides of Ewige Anbetung Lichterfest, Pottenstein, Franconia, Germany.  January 6, 2009

Photo: Fires of Ewige Anbetung Lichterfest light up the night, Pottenstein, Franconia, Germany.  January 6, 2009