Royal Stables ( Caballerizas Reales) are a set of

stable A stable is a building in which working animals are kept, especially horses or oxen. The building is usually divided into stalls, and may include storage for equipment and feed. Styles There are many different types of stables in use tod ...

s in

Córdoba Córdoba most commonly refers to: * Córdoba, Spain, a major city in southern Spain and formerly the imperial capital of Islamic Spain * Córdoba, Argentina, the second largest city in Argentina and the capital of Córdoba Province Córdoba or Cord ...

, Spain. The building is situated in the historic centre and borders the

Guadalquivir The Guadalquivir (, also , , ) is the fifth-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula and the second-longest river with its entire length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is the only major navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable from Seville ...

. The stables housed the best stallions and mares of the royal stud breed

Andalusian horse The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE (Spanish language literally translates to "Spanish pure breed". This name is sometimes capitalized when used in English-language publications, but is all lower-case in Spanish, which ...

History

By royal decree of Felipe II on November 28, 1567, the Spanish Horse breed with formalized standards was created, and a royal stable was established in Córdoba. The king commissioned Diego López de Haro y Sotomayor, 1st Marquis of El Carpio to build the stables on part of the site of the Alcázar fortress. The brand contained an "R" for ''Real'' ("royal") inside a ''C'' for Córdoba with a ''corona'' (crown) on top of the ''C''; the royal stamp was placed on horses produced in the Royal Stables, being the "first brand used on the first horses of the now organized breed".

Architecture and fittings

The building design is characterized by a distinct military style in keeping with its location by the Alcázar fortress. The main area features a cross-vaulted roof which is supported on sandstone columns and is divided into small stables. The building features a permanent equestrian display.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Stables of Cordoba Stables 1570 establishments in Spain Historic centre of Córdoba, Spain Buildings and structures in Córdoba, Spain