Nativity scene from Latin America

The Peruvian Creation scene is filled with animals, including llamas, as well as parrots or flamingos. It integrates native animals into the Nativity story, thereby linking Christian traditions with the lifeworld of Peru. Creation scene, Maximiano Ochante Lozano, Peru, 1998

KrippenWelt Stein am Rhein

Königsberg Nativity scene

The Königsberg Nativity scene includes numerous animals – from classical domestic beasts like the ox, the ass, and sheep to local wildlife such as ibexes, stags, and storks. This wood-encased crib shows a traditional scene from the small town of Königsberg (today: Kynšperk nad Ohří) on the River Eger in the Czech Republic, where until the early twentieth century woodcarvers created unique miniature Nativity scenes in their spare time. Königsberg nativity scene, original figures in a replica stable, Kynšperk nad Ohří, Czech Republic, c. 1900/2023

Alfred Dünnenberger-Hager, Baar

Livestock

Not only domesticated animals like oxen, donkeys, and sheep, but also geese, pigs, dogs, and cats embody the cultivated natural world. They are faithful companions, underscoring the everyday and humble surroundings into which Jesus was born. Polish Nativity scene, Bogdan Gebski, Nowy Odrowążek, Poland

KrippenWelt Stein am Rhein

The ox and the donkey

The humble ox and the patient donkey – often a female – are the oldest animals in the Nativity scene. The ox is interpreted as a symbol of Judaism, while the donkey stands for paganism. At the same time, the ox is a common sacrificial animal, and the donkey serves as a mount for kings. Thus, the two animals at the manger foreshadow the later fate of Jesus. Nativity scene from the Leventina Valley (Ticino), 16th cent.

Museo etnografico di Leventina, Giornico

Nativity scene from Africa

This ensemble of figures from Tanzania interprets the animal world of the Nativity scene by including a herd of elephants as well as hippos and rhinos. These animals represent the regional fauna, harmonising the Nativity story with the culture and landscape of Tanzania. Ebony Nativity scene, Peramiho Artists’ Association, Peramiho, Tanzania, 1940–1990

KrippenWelt Stein am Rhein

The beasts of burden of the Three Magi

As beasts of burden, camels, dromedaries, elephants, and horses symbolise wealth, faraway civilisations, and the long journey of the Magi with their precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their presence underscores the worldwide significance of Jesus’s birth. The Three Magi with dromedaries, Hanny Roduner, 2024

Hanny Roduner Krippenkunst, Zürich

Swiss National Museum

Swiss National Museum

Swiss National Museum

Swiss National Museum