Nordkirchener Halbmarathon

The Nordkirchen half marathon was founded in 2009, and the 2026 edition will be the 17th,

making it one of the signature local running events in Nordkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

It is organized by the local sports club FC Nordkirchen and starts on Sunday morning in early August at Schlosspark Nordkirchen Stadium,

which also serves as the club’s home ground.

Its defining feature is that runners get to race through the grounds of Nordkirchen Castle,

often called the 'Versailles of Westphalia.' Built in Baroque style as a moated castle between 1703 and 1734, it is the largest of its kind in the region.

Course begins with two laps of the stadium, then enters the castle park, passes the ornate Freitreppe (grand staircase),

heads toward the Nordkirchener Tor,

and continues through the sharp turn known as the Spitzkehre toward Oranienburg and the stud farm (gestüt) area within the park.

Full marathon is completed by running two laps of an approximately 10km Obsen loop,

and the Obsen area is a hillside farming district of Südkirchen where local residents are known for their enthusiastic roadside support every year.

Course features 7 aid station points,

making it a race where you can enjoy both the quiet beauty of the castle gardens and the energy of the countryside crowd support.