Spanish Riding School (Spanische Reitschule)
The Spanish Riding School is a unique institution in the center of Vienna. It is the oldest riding school in the world and the last one to teach riders and horses the classical broodmare ceremony.
General Information
In 1562, Emperor Maximilian II began importing Lipizzaner horses from Spain. The breed is the result of a cross between Arabian, Berber and Spanish bloodlines. The foals are born black and turn white as they mature. The horses are bred at the Piber Stud farm near Graz, where about 40 foals are born each year. Of these, probably only 5 stallions will be suitable in stature and temperament to be sent to Vienna for training – the rest will be sold to wealthy horse lovers or kept as sires.
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Originally the school was based in the Imperial Palace, but Emperor Charles VI ordered the construction of a special Baroque manege to train young aristocrats in the art of riding. Completed in 1735, the arena is more like a ballroom, with its elegant balconies and crystal chandeliers. Tickets for the rider and horse shows are booked in advance, but if you can’t get tickets, you can watch a morning lesson, also set to music, or take a tour of the stables.
The riders are dressed in brown surtouts and traditional hats, and the horses wear saddles in gold and red colors. Performances include solo and pair performances, as well as the Grand Quadrille, featuring 16 horses.
