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The Spanish Riding School

20 ecole d equitation espagnole poi grand

This point of interest is available as audio on the tour: Visit Vienna, The Empress of Austria

On your left, you’re passing the arena of Vienna’s famous Spanish Riding School, located just opposite, in one of the Hofburg Palace wings. This prestigious institution is the only school in the world to have preserved the classical art of horse-riding, or dressage, since the Renaissance. The name Spanish refers to the origins of the only horse breed used by the school – Lipizzaners. The school owes these Lipizzaners its international reputation, but what makes this breed so special? It’s a cross between Andalusian and Slovenian horses, and they’re renowned for their elegance, dressage talent, and their coats, which lighten from dark grey to nearly pure white. Originally bred for royalty, Lipizzaners were used in tournaments and military displays. The young stallions arrive at the school at the age of 4, to begin six years of rigorous training to master the complex art of dressage. But even then, their journey isn’t over — only after those six years is it decided whether they’ll be formally accepted into the school. The riders’ training lasts between 10 and 12 years. You can attend performances or public training sessions to see the extraordinary results for yourself. They take place in the palace riding hall, often called the most beautiful riding arena in the world. Since December 2015, the Spanish Riding School’s dressage tradition has been recognised by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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