Advent in the English Garden

Eisstock at the Chinese Tower

The Christmas market in the English Garden has two Eisstock lanes. In the organiser's words, Eisstock belongs here like mulled wine and the Ochsensemmel (a roast ox roll).

Advent

The lanes at the tower

Season: During the Christmas market, 19 November to 23 December 2026
Lanes: Two lanes that can be played at the same time
Group size: Up to 10 people per lane
Time slots: According to the organiser, the slots 2 to 5 pm and 5 to 8 pm can be booked online, plus a separate happy hour offer
Booking: Online via the organiser's website, section on the Eisstock lanes (in German). Prices and free slots are shown in the booking.
Organiser: Haberl Gastronomie, not the association

Lanes are allocated by the organiser only. The association Chinesischer Turm e.V. cannot reserve lanes or give information about availability.

How Eisstock works

Two teams slide their ice stocks down the lane; it is always the turn of the team whose stock is not currently closest to the target. The target is the Daube, in the traditional game a small wooden cube of about 10 by 10 centimetres. Every stock of your own that lies closer to the Daube than the opponents' best stock scores a point. One round is called a Kehre; in competition a game has six of them.

The body of a competition stock weighs between 2.73 kilograms (youth stock) and 3.83 kilograms depending on its class; on top of that come the long handle and a running sole that glides over the ice. For an evening at the Christmas market you need none of that: the idea is clear after the first push.

Difference from curling

Curling uses a granite stone, and players sweep the ice in front of it. In Eisstock there are no brooms, the stock is held by a long upright handle, and the target is the Daube rather than a target circle.

History, rules and origins of the custom are covered in depth by our sister site: Eisstockschießen on brauchtum-muenchen.de (in German).

Tips for your evening on the lane

Book early: two lanes are not many for a market of this size, especially at weekends in Advent.
Shoes with grip: you stand on ice and in a park, not on carpet.
Gloves: you hold the stock by its handle, and evenings in the English Garden are cold.
Plan your group: with up to 10 people per lane you can form two teams.

Eisstock in Munich: other lanes in Advent

There are lanes elsewhere in Munich in Advent too. With 2026 dates: Motorworld Winterworld with four Eisstock lanes (7 November to 18 December) and the Christmas and winter market at Munich Airport (13 November to 27 December, lane use 25 euros per hour according to the airport). Not yet dated, according to Munich Tourism: the Weihnachtsmacherei in Berg am Laim with two Eisstock lanes bookable online, and the Christkindlmarkt under the maypole on Luise-Kiesselbach-Platz with an ice rink for Eisstock. All markets with dates are listed on our page Munich Christmas markets 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there Eisstock at the Chinese Tower?

Yes. During the Christmas market from 19 November to 23 December 2026 there are two Eisstock lanes that can be played at the same time.

How many people fit on one lane at the Chinese Tower?

Up to 10 people per lane, according to the organiser.

How do I book an Eisstock lane at the Chinese Tower?

Online via the website of the Christmas market at the Chinese Tower. The slots 2 to 5 pm and 5 to 8 pm can be booked, plus a happy hour offer. The association does not allocate lanes.

Where can I play Eisstock in Munich in Advent?

At the Chinese Tower in the English Garden and, among others, at Motorworld Winterworld (four lanes) and the Christmas market at Munich Airport. The Weihnachtsmacherei in Berg am Laim and Luise-Kiesselbach-Platz also have lanes; their 2026 dates are not yet published.

Is Eisstock the same as curling?

No. In Eisstock there are no brooms, the stock is held by a long upright handle, and the target is the Daube, in the traditional game a small wooden cube.

Sources