Sightseeing at the Marathon

The route of the marathon leads past the best attractions in Vienna: from the Vienna International Centre, across the Danube into the green of the Prater, along the Danube Canal to the Ringstrasse, from the Vienna State Opera right out to Schönbrunn Palace, back again to the Ring and the Prater and finally to the finish line at Heldenplatz.

In 2011, more than 32,000 runners from 110 nations took part in the Vienna City Marathon, the half-marathon and staged marathon as well as in the kids' competitions.

Classics and a party to set the mood

On 14 April, the day before the marathon, everyone has the opportunity to get in the mood for the run at a concert given in the Vienna State Opera with a percussion ensemble of the Vienna Philharmonic. The motto for the day is Run Vienna - Enjoy Classics.

During the race, classical music from Mozart and Strauss as well as current sounds then spur on the runners over ten kilometers of the route.

Also held on the Saturday in the Gothic festival hall of Vienna City Hall is the International Friendship Party for participants in the marathon, with Kaiserschmarrn and an international flair.

With Klimt in mind

To mark this year's Klimt Year (the Art Nouveau artist would have celebrated his 150th birthday in 2021), the Vienna City Marathon will present the result of its charity Klimt campaign for Karlheinz Böhm's Ethiopia Aid: since the last marathon, Klimt's painting "The Kiss" has been painted from scratch by hundreds of runners and online participants in return for a donation per segment of the painting.

The adapted work of art can be seen during the Vienna City Marathon in the Belvedere - where the original also enthralls visitors every day.

Vienna City Marathon

15 April 2012
Registration, information:
www.vienna-marathon.com