Spanish Riding School
The Hofburg Palace is a must-see when visiting Vienna. The power-house of the Austrian empire, it holds a wealth of rich culture and history waiting to be explored. The Spanish Riding School is a renowned institution and tradition that has been part of Vienna’s rich culture since 1565. It’s a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses that perform their haute école equestrian skills to audiences in the Hofburg Palace. This classical dressage attracts worldwide visitors and you can even watch the horses and their morning exercise in the great Winter Riding School, too.
Did you know:
- The ‘Spanish’ part of the tradition comes from the Lipizzan horses, which actually originate from the Iberian Peninsula.
- Baroque architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach designed the riding hall meant for aristocratic boys to learn how to ride – now it is the stunning backdrop to this classic Viennese tradition.
- The horses are taken from their birthplace, Piber, at the age of four and are trained until they are ten before they take part in the School Quadrille to see if they pass the test to become a true Spanish Riding School stallion.
Hint
Please note that your Vienna PASS or FLEXI Pass will be activated with the first scan even if you receive a ticket for the following day for the morning exercise. The day of the first scan is the first day of use. We ask you to take this into account when planning your journey!
Please note that the Vienna PASS or FLEXI Pass gives you standing room only for admission to the morning exercise at the Spanish Riding School.
Things to see:
Members of the public are invited to watch the morning exercise held on a weekly basis (Tuesday-Friday). Here, you will be able to see the pedigree horses put through their paces to keep them in shape and to prepare them for their live performances. In the training you will be able to see the horses practice many skilled moves and their riders show off some of their expertise and finesse.
Gymnastics of the horses includes loosening exercises, refinement and perfection of lessons, as well as targeted strengthening of the musculature. The famous school jumps, which are presented during the demonstrations, are only sometimes seen during the training in order to spare the animals. Each stallion is trained according to his individual training level up to lessons of the high school.
Let yourself be whisked away on a musical journey back to Austria's imperial times with Prof. Seifert, member of the Vienna Philharmonic, and his philharmonic colleagues. Capriole, Levade and Johann Strauss - A TRIBUTE TO VIENNA presents highlights of the White Stallion Ballet alternating with musical performances.
A TRIBUTE TO VIENNA shows the highlights of the "Ballet of the White Stallions" alternating with musical performances of the probably most renowned choir in the world, the Wiener Sängerknaben. Let us take you on a journey back to the time of Maria Theresa!
These two performances are not included in your Vienna PASS.
More information about the exact program, additional dates and ticket sales can be found on the website of the Spanish Riding School.
Morning Exercise
Public
Metro:U3 Herrengasse
Tram:1, 2, D, 71 Burgring
Bus: 1A, 2A Michaelerplatz
Hop On Hop Off
Route: Blue Line / Yellow Line / Red Line
Bus Stop:
Kunsthistorisches Museum / Heldenplatz
Address
Michaelerplatz 1,
1010
Vienna
Phone:
+43 1 533 90 31
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