Spanish Riding School
A trip to Vienna would not be complete without experiencing a
performance at the Spanish Riding School.
Cavalry tactics started to constitute an art around 402BC, but
it was not until the sixteenth century that the idea of
classical riding took root throughout civilised Europe. During
this era, riding enjoyed an equal status with music, art,
architecture, literature, philosophy and sculpture, since
similar skills and disciplines were required. In some
circumstances, it was said that the acquisition of this art
could make a man more honourable as he learned from his
stallion's forbearance, courage and physical prowess.
The Imperial Riding School in Vienna was built for teaching and
practice of the young nobility and also for the training of the
horse in the art of riding and in battle. The work of the School
first under royal, then imperial and finally Austrian state
patronage then flourished. Today, it is the only riding academy
in the world that has been cultivating this art - in its purest
form - for over 400 years.
Together with the opera house, the Spanish Riding School became
Austria's jewel in the crown, since no other riding school
boasted such a structured continuance of purpose and method. It
was looked up to worldwide as the mecca of dressage. Only in
Vienna could one be sure of finding the correct techniques and
structured training methods of the young horse through to the
most venerable adult stallions.
Today, male riders are carefully selected from within Austria
itself. If they are found to have sufficient talent and
dedication, training will start at sixteen and end at sixty. It
takes eight years to train a horse; it takes a lifetime to
become a highly competent rider.
The Spanish Riding School occupies a number of buildings on the
Michaelerplatz and the Josefsplatz by the Hofburg in central
Vienna. Performances take place in the Winter Riding School.
Performance dates are listed on www.viennaticket.com website,
where you can order tickets online. Since the 80-minute
performances are often sold out weeks or even months in advance,
you should reserve seats or standing room as early as possible.
Other options include a visit to the Lipizzaner Museum next to
the stables and/or take a tour of the federal stud farm in Piber
where the horses are bred and raised.