Photo: alba24.ro
Alba Iulia City Race
Run in the Other Capital.
26 September 2026Alba Iulia, Alba
Around 1,000 runners lace up inside Romania's largest star-shaped fortress — the baroque Alba Carolina citadel, in the city where the 1918 Great Union was proclaimed. A running festival where history, emotion and sport meet between restored 18th-century bastions.
About the race
A festival of running inside a living fortress
Run through the gates
Gates, cathedrals and inner moats
Few courses double as a guided tour. The route passes the great baroque Gate III and slips through Gates IV, V and VI of the citadel, runs the inner moats between the bastions, and curves past both cathedrals at the heart of Alba Iulia.
Route landmarks
Gate IV
A western gate of the Vauban fortress — the route slips through its arch onto the rampart walk.
Gate V
One of the citadel's original seven gates, opening onto the inner moat between two bastions.
Gate VI
The eastern gate near the esplanade — a fast, flat stretch as runners re-enter the star.
Coronation Cathedral
The Orthodox cathedral where King Ferdinand and Queen Marie were crowned in 1922.
St. Michael's Cathedral
Transylvania's oldest Roman Catholic cathedral, founded in the 13th century.
Inner moats
Grassed channels between the seven bastions — the fortress's defensive geometry, now your running line.
Choose your distance
- 21 km10:00
Semimaraton Star Transmission
Cursa principala, 21 km si +700 m, limita de timp 4 ore. Teren 50% asfalt, 50% drumuri forestiere si poteci, 4 puncte de sustinere (hidratare, alimentare). Start din Piata Cetatii Alba Carolina, primii ~5 km comuni cu Crosul pe pista de biciclete, apoi off-road prin Padurea Alba Iulia pana la Varful Mamut (~800 m alt.), retur prin Poarta a III-a a Cetatii. Medalie metalica de finisher.
- 11 km10:00
Cros Star Assembly
Cros 11 km, +270 m, limita de timp 2 ore. Teren 75% asfalt, 25% drumuri forestiere si poteci, 2 puncte de sustinere. Start din Piata Cetatii Alba Carolina, parcurs comun cu semimaratonul pe primii kilometri, vedere panoramica de la Varful Mamut. Medalie metalica de finisher.
- 5 km10:15
Cursa Populara
Cursa populara de 5 km, +55 m, traseu urban prin centrul istoric si zonele pietonale. Medalie de lemn.
- 2,7 km10:15
Family Run
Cursa de familie 2,7 km, +45 m, prin cetate pe drumuri pavate cu piatra cubica. Tricou de bumbac si medalie de lemn.
- Copii14:00
Kids Race
Cursa copiilor, start la ora 14:00 in Piata Cetatii Alba Carolina.
Entries run from about 115 to 405 lei for the half marathon, depending on category and how early you sign up. Most editions also accept race-day registration in cash, subject to availability.
The Other Capital
Where Romania became whole
On 1 December 1918, delegates gathered in Alba Iulia to proclaim the union of Transylvania with Romania — the act that gave the modern country its shape. That is why Alba Iulia is called the symbolic capital, the Other Capital. Running here isn't just a race through pretty walls; it's a lap through the place where a nation was decided.
A seven-pointed star you can run, one bastion at a time.
- Year of the Great Union
- 1918
- Star-shaped bastions
- 7
- Fortress design
- Vauban
- Largest citadel in Romania
- #1
Why run it
More than a finish line
A closed-road citadel, water on course, chip timing and a medal you'll actually want to keep.
A course you can't replicate
Baroque gates, two cathedrals and the star fortress — there is nowhere else in Romania you can run a route like this.
Festival, not just a race
Around 1,000 runners, music, family activities and the citadel's cafés and museums open all day.
A distance for everyone
From a 21K half marathon to a 2.7K family run and kids' dashes — bring the whole household.
Chip timing + tech tee
Electronic timing on every timed race, a finisher medal, and a technical running tee for the 21K, 11K and 5K.
The course
Start and finish at the citadel
Every distance starts and finishes at Piața Cetății, in the heart of Alba Carolina. Explore the start area and surroundings on the map below.
Race day
Schedule
A typical race-morning rhythm — confirm exact times in the official race guide before the start.
- 16:00
Vineri (cu o zi inainte) - Validarea inscrierilor si ridicarea kitului (16:00-20:00)
Palatul Principilor Transilvaneni, in spatele statuii lui Mihai Viteazul, cetatea Alba Carolina.
- 08:00
Ziua cursei - Validarea concurentilor (08:00-09:00 Semimaraton si Cros, pana la 09:30 cursele scurte)
- 10:00
START comun Semimaraton Star Transmission si Cros Star Assembly
Piata Cetatii Alba Carolina.
- 10:15
START Cursa Populara si Family Run
- 14:00
START Kids Race
- 15:30
Festivitatea de premiere (Semimaraton, Cros si Cursa Populara)
FAQ
Good to know
How do I register, and when does it close?
Sign up online at albaiulia.cityrace.ro/inscriere. Online entries close around 21 September, a few days before the race. Most editions also allow race-day registration in cash on site, subject to availability — but registering online secures your size and saves you the queue.
What distances are there?
Five options: the 21K Semimaraton (half marathon), the 11K Cros (cross-country, off-road sections, around 270 m of climbing), the 5K Cursa Populară (popular run), the 2.7K Family Run for ages 14 and up, and the Kids races for younger children.
How much does it cost?
Fees are tiered by category and registration period. The 21K runs roughly 115 to 405 lei depending on when you enter, with the shorter distances priced lower. Signing up earlier is always cheaper.
What do I get for my entry?
A race bib with electronic chip timing, a finisher medal and on-course water. The 21K, 11K and 5K also include a technical running tee. Exact race-kit contents are confirmed in the official race guide.
Where is the start, and where do I park?
Everything starts and finishes at Piața Cetății, inside the Alba Carolina citadel in Alba Iulia. The fortress is pedestrianised on race day, so use the public car parks just outside the walls and walk in through one of the gates — give yourself extra time, as roads around the citadel are closed for the race.
Can children and families take part?
Yes. The 2.7K Family Run is open to runners aged 14 and up, and there are dedicated Kids races for younger children. It's built as a family festival, not just an elite race.
What is the course like?
Each distance starts from the citadel square and runs through the star-shaped Vauban fortress — through Gates IV, V and VI, past both the Coronation and St. Michael's cathedrals, and along the inner moats between the bastions. The 21K and 5K are on tarmac; the 11K Cros adds off-road sections and the most climbing.
Run where a nation was decided.
See you on race day at the gates of Alba Carolina. Register online before the deadline to lock in your distance and your tee.