Badener Perchtenlauf
A traditional experience, you have to witness!
Some find them creepy, others funny. One thing is for sure: they are worth an experience! Experience the "Perchtenlauf" in the inner city of Baden bei Wien: Sunday the 7th December, starting at 5 p.m.
The Perchtenlauf – A Living Alpine Tradition in Baden
The Perchtenlauf is a centuries-old Alpine tradition, rooted in pre-Christian folklore, in which elaborately costumed “Perchten” roam through towns to drive out darkness and symbolically welcome the light of the coming year. The figures, often wearing hand-carved wooden masks and ornate fur costumes, represent a blend of fearsome and benevolent spirits and form an important part of winter customs in Austria.
In Baden, the Perchtenlauf holds a particularly special place within the community. Unlike many processions that follow a single square or short route, Baden’s Perchtenlauf leads through the entire historic city center, creating a moving spectacle that weaves local heritage with Alpine tradition. The run begins in the Kurpark, home to the city’s historic thermal spring source, and continues through the beautifully illuminated streets all the way to Josefsplatz. Here, the route passes the impressive former Frauenbad and the historic Josefsbad—two architectural landmarks that reflect Baden’s long spa culture.
This unique combination of folklore, landscape, and spa heritage makes Baden’s Perchtenlauf not only a festive winter highlight, but a distinctive cultural experience within the Great Spa Towns of Europe.
route
- 17.00 Uhr Kurpark
- Theaterplatz
- Hauptplatz
- Josefsplatz
free entry!
Participating associations
- Pottensteiner Kahlkopf-Teifln
- Mephistos Höllenfürsten - Oeynhausen
- Kreuzberger Perchten - Payerbach
- Schwerfelperchten - Baden
- Ursprung – Teufln - Ebenfurth
- Perchtenverein Niederhollerbrunn