Schlitz Christmas Candle
Encyclopedia
The Schlitz Christmas Candle is a candle-like structure unveiled every Christmas season in Schlitz, a small town in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. It is approximately 42 metres (137.8 ft) tall, and is thought to be the largest non-wax candle in the world. The candle is created by draping a red cloth over the stone tower at the center of the town. The tower is then topped off with an electric flame to give the impression of a Christmas candle, which can been seen from great distances looming above the town's Tudor-style
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...

 buildings. The tower used to form the candle is called the Hinterturm, which was built in the 14th century, and is the remnant of a castle that no longer stands. An elevator inside the Hinterturm takes visitors to the top of the tower.

The candle has been a yearly tradition in Schlitz since the Christmas Candle was first established on November 28, 1991. The candle serves as the town's Christmas market, which includes vendors, activities, entertainment and guest appearances by Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...

 Mayor Hans-Jürgen Schäfer said of the candle, "People come from all over Germany just to take a look at the Christmas candle. Of course, this brings Schlitz to the attention of people all over the world." Every year in January, the town receives newspaper clippings from all over the world with stories about the Schlitz Christmas Candle.

Before the Schlitz Christmas Candle, the largest non-wax candle in the world was believed to be the Peace Candle
Peace Candle
The Peace Candle is a tower-like structure erected every Christmas season in Easton, Pennsylvania. The approximately tall structure, which resembles a giant candle, is assembled each year over the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument, a Civil War memorial located in the city's Centre Square...

, a tower-like structure assembled every holiday season in Easton
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....

, a Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

 city in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

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