Vienna Stadthalle to Get New Air Conditioning System Before Eurovision Song Contest 2026

The Wiener Stadthalle, which is celebrating its 67th birthday this year, is continuously maintained and modernized, as the managing director of the Stadthalle, Matthäus Zelenka, emphasized during a meeting with the APA. Preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 have already begun.

Wiener Stadthalle a Complex of Six Halls

With more than 300 events a year and around one million visitors annually, it is one of the largest arenas in Europe. In 1958, the building designed by architect Roland Rainer was inaugurated. The range of live spectacles that have since taken place there is vast. The Stadthalle hosts TV shows, sports events, opera evenings, congresses, and trade fairs, as well as concerts - or the Song Contest, which will return to Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus next year after 2015. The complex consists not only of one but six halls. They can be used together, which was apparently a significant argument for Vienna being chosen again. The centerpiece of the area, which belongs to the portfolio of Wien Holding, is Hall D. It offers space for up to 16,000 people.

4,000 Photovoltaic Panels and New Air Conditioning for Wiener Stadthalle

With a length of 92 meters and an interior height of up to 17.74 meters, it provides enough space for various installations. The layout of the audience area can also be changed thanks to flexible grandstand elements. Additionally, there is a ceiling structure that can support up to 100 tons of equipment. Speaking of the ceiling or roof: Almost 4,000 photovoltaic panels have now been installed outside. The large hall can boast an air conditioning system for the ESC. However, this is not a measure initiated specifically for the singing event. The installation has been planned for some time and is expected to be completed by the end of the year, as Zelenka explained. "That was one of the main criticisms of the hall: The temperatures, which sometimes perhaps were not as one might expect and imagine nowadays."

Wiener Stadthalle Plans No Special Investments for Eurovision Song Contest

Planning for the cooling had already begun last year. "It would not have been possible for us to quickly address this for the Song Contest now," explained the hall manager. In the future, he hopes, visitors and artists will feel comfortable in Hall D even during the warmer months. Larger expansions specifically for the Song Contest are not planned, and there will be no special investments, as Zelenka explained. However, quite a bit has happened here in recent years: for example, Hall E was added in 1994. It is a multipurpose hall with nearly 1,800 square meters and direct connection to Halls A, B, and D. It can accommodate up to 2,000 people.

Total Capacity of the Vienna Stadthalle at 24,400 People

Hall F, with a capacity of up to 2,000 guests, was integrated into the facility in 2006. With fixed seating, it resembles a theater hall. The six halls offer a maximum usable area for events of around 30,000 square meters. The total capacity amounts to 24,400 people. Only some smaller areas are newer, and they could also be used for the ESC now. This applies, for example, to the former storage or depot rooms, which have recently been functioning as "Studio F." A Dalí exhibition is currently on display there. There are also significantly more monitors and screens in the Stadthalle area than before. They can be used not only for sponsor advertising but also to quickly disseminate visitor information and safety instructions, as emphasized.

Start of Planning for Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna Stadthalle

Continuous investments have been made in recent years to stay up to date with technology, the host confirmed. Last year alone, around 4 million euros were invested in infrastructure. This is owed to the million visitors who come to the Stadthalle every year. "It is simply our self-understanding that we always keep up with the times here." Which rooms will be included alongside Hall D next year and what function they will serve is still open. However, preliminary work has already begun. "We are currently in exchange with ORF to plan everything so that it becomes a mega show. And it certainly will be," Zelenka predicted. He assured that they were extremely pleased about being awarded the contract in the Stadthalle.

It is a huge project. However, some still have no idea of the actual dimensions involved. Others in the house know this, as they were already involved in 2015. Experiences from that time can certainly be drawn upon, but some things have also changed. "It's not like you can just use a blueprint. But of course, it's an advantage to know what to expect," the managing director emphasized. However, a major event like the Song Contest always brings new challenges, he noted.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.