Vienna's traditional Christmas market opened Saturday with the spotlight on the environment and energy saving.
The market in front of the City Hall is one of the most sumptuous in the capital with small wooden huts selling Christmas decorations and toys. It was inaugurated by Vienna Mayor Michael Haeupl who lit up the towering Christmas tree.
But this year's innovation was the use of over 1,000 energy-saving LEDs instead of normal bulbs to illuminate the 170-year-old and 27-metre (88.5-foot) high spruce.
By doing so, the city of Vienna plans to save 5,800 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, or the equivalent of the yearly electricity consumption of four households, over the next month and a half.
The Christmas market will be open until December 24.
