Caballerizas Reales (Royal Horse Stables) - Córdoba

Philip II, the king in whose realm the sun never set , founded the Royal Stables in Cordoba in 1572 "for the purpose of breeding good horses for the service of the Royal House".

The building was erected next to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos , where it still stands today, used continuously for the breeding of the Cordovan horse. From 1842 to 1995 it became a cavalry barracks, used for horse breeding, and housed the important 7th Army Stallion Depot.

More than a hundred Andalusian and Arabian horses of excellent quality, used for harnessing carriages, for dressage and for the insemination of mares, both military and civilian, were cared for.

The original Royal Stables were lost in a fire in 1735, but were immediately rebuilt in the reign of Ferdinand VII and completed in the reign of Charles III, whose coat of arms is above the main entrance.

From the main building stands out the stable, which García Lorca likened to a "cathedral for horses" , organized in three naves with a grooved floor and a groin vault, supported by brick arches and solid stone columns that delineate the stalls on either side.

The Royal Stables are currently hosting the "Pasión y duende del Caballo Andaluz" equestrian show , recommended for all types of audience.

Willem Vandenameele