Close encounters with street performers

By day and after dark, mysterious and colourful creatures were afoot in the ancient alleyways of Siegen, including a fabulous stilt-walker from an enchanted forest accompanied by a little elf. The giant tree creature with the many branches and green leaves was highly sociable, performing some great tricks the elf had taught him earlier. At dusk, the pair made way for a colourful light dancer, an illuminated stilt-walker bathed in incredible light effects.

Free city tours

The Krönchen, the old town, the city walls, the castles … for one day, our city guides introduced a selection of Siegen sights on seven free city tours (with sections in English, Spanish and Russian). The classic ‘Around the Krönchen’ tour, the old town walk, the exciting ‘Love’s sorrow and murder mysteries’ option and the Nightwatchman tour (featuring Balthasar, the nightwatchman) all proved popular.

Those wishing to witness Siegen from a fresh angle after the Altstadtfest can find details of all walks and tours here.

An atmospheric finale

From 9.00 p.m. onwards, the Siegen Lichtertour illuminated the Marienkirche in countless festive lights. Siegen’s only surviving example of a baroque church, built early in the 18th century, dates back to the Jesuits. The Lichtertour took place on various Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of August and September 2021. Selected buildings in Siegen and its districts of Achenbach, Geisweid and Kaan-Marienborn were bathed in a perfect light.

Open Monument Day

Coinciding with the Siegen Altstadtfest is the national Open Monument Day, which took place on 12 September. This year the focus was on appearance and reality in history, architecture and monument preservation. Highlights in Siegen included tours of the Burgstrasse bunker (a remnant of the Second World War) and guided tours of the Fürstengruft, completed in the Unteres Schloss in 1670.