Authentic German Candle Arches (Schwibbogen)

In our category Candle arches you will find practical buttons/banners, which allow you to facilitate your search and easily find a candle arch according to your wishes. If you just want to see every kind of candle arch of our wide product range, you may just click in “all candle arches” and feel inspired. Or you can narrow your search according to the size or price category you are looking for. You may also filter the Erzgebirge candle arches according to the motives or other “specials” like fret saw work or candle arches with electric candles, especially the ones which fit for US 120 volt standard. Or you prefer the traditional candle arches with wax candles or are interested in accessories? Again, with a click in the appropriate category you will quickly find the product you are looking for. If you are looking for candle arches of one particular manufacturer, only, you can just click the corresponding button, and there they are.

Schwibbogen and Candle Arches form the German Erzgebirge

The first predecessor of Candle Arches (Schwibbogen) was manufactured 1726 from wrought iron. The German name Schwibbogen refers to a type of arch constructed in gothic times when an arch between two walls was called "Schwebebogen" (floating arch).

The look goes back to a tradition of miners, who hung their burning pit lamps semicircularly on the pit entry hole before they started their last shift before Christmas. The Candle Arch expresses the longing of light by the miners who did not see very much daylight during their workdays.

Everyday scenes from the life of the miners were the main motif at first. Nowadays the Holy Story and other religious topics often serve as motives. In addition the forest with its animals and the homeland can be seen.

The Arches are illuminated electrically or with regular candles. Some Arches even have buildings that are illuminated. In the Ore Mountains one can see the Candle Arches during the Christmas time in many windows and in over-size versions on public places. The Arch has found many lovers from all over the world during the last century. Nowadays one can find an Erzgebirge Candle Arch in New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Sidney, Rome, Madrid, Paris, Seoul, Rio, London and in many other places.

Our manufacturers Müller Kleinkunst Seiffen, KWO Olbernhau, Richard Glässer Seiffen, Christian Ulbricht and Saico Seiffen offer masterpieces with many different designs and belong to the most famous workshops of the German Erzgebirge.

The Candle Arch - an Original German Gift with a fine tradition