ESC Venue 2026: This is the Wiener Stadthalle

The Wiener Stadthalle is one of Europe's oldest multipurpose halls. The building, designed by Roland Rainer, was opened on June 21, 1958, in the presence of Federal President Adolf Schärf. Since then, according to Wien Holding, more than 75 million people have attended over 13,000 events. The thematic range spans from concerts by international stars to musicals and major sporting events. And after 2015, the legendary location will once again host a Song Contest in 2026.

Stadthalle among Austria's largest event centers

Construction of the building in the Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus district took more than three years. The hall, in the style of post-war modernism, was intended to symbolize economic upswing and political realignment. Renowned artists such as Herbert Boeckl, Wander Bertoni, Maria Bilger, and Karl Unger contributed to its design. The opening day was celebrated with a joint performance by the State Opera Ballet, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

With nearly 29,000 square meters of usable space, the Wiener Stadthalle is one of the largest domestic event centers. The centerpiece alone - Hall D - can accommodate up to 16,000 spectators. Compared to its original state, the complex has undergone numerous expansions and "face lifts" over the past decades. Rainer himself planned the fifth Hall E, which in 1994 increased the spectator capacity by 1,300 seats.

In 2006, the music hall F was built. It offers space for around 2,000 people and is directly adjacent to the Stadthalle. Halls A, B, and C, with a total capacity of 4,500 people, are primarily reserved for sporting events. According to Wien Holding, there have also been extensive modernizations and renovations in recent years.

Louis Armstrong, Yuri Gagarin, Hans Orsolic

From the beginning, the Stadthalle positioned itself as broadly as possible in terms of content. In 1959, for example, Louis Armstrong played seven sold-out concerts, and three years later, star cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin reported on his space mission. The premiere of the film "Poppies Are Also Flowers" (1966) with guests like Sophia Loren, Sean Connery, and Rita Hayworth temporarily transformed the building into the largest cinema hall in Europe. That concert dates were not necessarily scheduled in the evening is shown by a live gig of the Rolling Stones in 1967. It began at 3:30 PM.

Over the decades, the range has become increasingly broad. Hans Orsolic became the youngest European boxing champion (1967) in the premises of the Stadthalle, and the musical "Hair" celebrated its German-language premiere here (1970). In 1979, 141 delegates from 141 countries even met for the UN conference. A fixture is "Holiday On Ice," which usually hosts its latest production there in winter.

Sporting traditions are also upheld: The ATP tennis tournament has been held there since 1974. The logistical effort for this is probably slightly less than for an event in 2004. At that time, a 25-meter pool was even erected in Hall D for the Short Course Swimming European Championships.

Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna Stadthalle

And not least, the Song Contest experience acquired in 2015 probably spoke for Vienna as the host city. Thus, after Conchita Wurst's triumph in 2014 in Copenhagen, the Stadthalle hosted the Song Contest. A bit of Song Contest had already wafted through the Stadthalle in the past. Former winners of the European singing competition repeatedly gave concerts in the Stadthalle - including ABBA, Celine Dion, or Udo Jürgens. After his triumph, the ESC 1967 took place in the Vienna Hofburg.

What was not foreseeable in 2015: In 2020, the Stadthalle was repurposed as a large COVID-19 testing center. There was no conflict with the regular program, as events were known to be prohibited at that time. Some of them - such as the bike spectacle "Masters of Dirt" - were indeed postponed and made up for after the end of the pandemic with several years' delay.

In 2024, more than 300 events with over a million visitors took place in the Stadthalle. The year 2025 is even going better - and could thus become one of the strongest years in history, as Vienna Holding informed the APA. Revenue was around 22 million euros last year. Currently, it is assumed that it will be higher this year. Among the biggest events this year were concerts by Billie Eilish, Green Day, or Bilderbuch.

(APA/Red)

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