With an angel at the top: giant Christmas tree lights up
The giant Christmas tree in Dortmund was lit up for the first time this year on Monday evening - with the traditional angel at the top. According to the city, a group of children helped light the 48,000 LEDs on the colossus, which is made up of around 1,200 red spruce trees. The tree was first erected in 1996 and is advertised as the world's largest of its kind. It takes around four weeks to erect the 45-metre high and 40-tonne giant. It forms the centerpiece of the Dortmund Christmas market and is intended to attract additional visitors.
After there had been some fuss about the design of the top in recent weeks, the 200-kilo, 4-metre-high angel on the tree also shone as in previous years. The showmen's association had wanted to try something new and opted for a sphere instead of the previous angel. However, heated discussions about the golden round shape, which is reminiscent of a soccer, ultimately led to a return to the traditional motif.
"We realized that the angel means a lot to people and has great symbolism," said Patrick Arens, head of the Dortmund showmen, explaining the decision. In future, the citizens of Dortmund will be able to have a say in the design of the tree, he said.
Despite the debate over the design of the angel at the top, it was decided to maintain the traditional motif for the Christmas tree. customs dismissed the proposed sphere and opted for a fixed angel again.
Source: www.dpa.com
