Winter riding school

The winter riding school at Michaelerplatz

The winter riding school before 1888, on the right the old Burgtheater

The Winter Riding School is a wing of the Vienna Hofburg , built between Josefsplatz (at the location of the old "Paradeisgartl", immediately to the right and at a right angle to the Redoutensäle) and the Michaelertrakt according to original ideas by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach from 1729–1735 his son Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach was built.

Description and history

Opposite the Maximilian palace, the Stallburg , was a one-storey building, the facade of which is structured by double pillars and flanked by columns. The mighty dome had to be redesigned in the year of completion.

The actual riding hall, in which the training and demonstrations of the Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School still take place today, is painted off- white, 58 m long, 18 m wide, 17 m high and has a gallery supported by 46 Corinthian columns. These columns are made of Eggenburg stone , the winding stairs that lead into the hall are all made of the hard Kaisersteinbrucher stone . The coffered ceiling , suspended from a complicated construction, is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and art. The building is connected to the stable castle opposite by an archway. The equestrian portrait of Emperor Charles VI is located in the court box, which at the time of the Habsburg Monarchy was only allowed to be used by members of the imperial family and their personal guests . , the builder of the winter riding school, which is still greeted today when the riders enter the track, out of everlasting gratitude. Horse and rider enter the riding arena through the double door opposite the painting.

A Latin inscription above this door indicates the school's duties:

". Palatinam equestrem palaestram instruendae exercendaeque nobili iuventuti et equis ad cursum bellumque form andis Imperatoris Caesaris Caroli Austrii filii Augusti iussu Gunda Carus comes from Althann supremus aedificiis Caesaris et stabulo Prefect exstrui curavit anno MDCCXXXV" (Translation: "This imperial riding school was for the teaching and practice the noble youth as well as for the training of horses for the art of riding and the war on the orders of Emperor Charles VI. [from the House of Austria], the son of the immortalized Emperor Leopold I [from the House of Austria], and under the supervision of the highest building director and boss of the court stables Gundaker Graf Althann built in 1735 “ [actually: ... Althann had this imperial riding school ... built]).

Handel's Alexander Festival (under the title Timotheus or the violence of music ) at the founding concert of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in 1812 in the Winter Riding School

Emperor Karl VI., Empress Elisabeth-Christine , Archduchess Maria Theresia and her bridegroom Franz Stephan of Lorraine visited the completed building on September 14, 1735. Head rider Weyrother and the riders demonstrated the horses.

The famous carousels took place in the winter riding school . B. on January 2nd, 1743, a ladies carousel in which Maria Theresia participated. The reason for this was the recapture of Prague and the surrender of Prince Elector Karl Albert of Bavaria and the French Southern Army to Karl of Lorraine and Prince Lobkowitz on December 26, 1742.

From 1812 to 1847 the monumental concerts of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna took place here. In 1848 the Reichstag met in the winter riding school .

In August 2010, for the first time in 275 years, the sand-sawdust mixture on the floor of the riding school was replaced by rubber mats with sand waxed over them.