The Dresden Stable Yard

The »Kurfürstlicher Reissiger Stall« (Electoral Reissiger Stable)

After Hans Irmisch had completed the Kanzleihaus from 1565 to 1567 for the administrative business of the Dresden Electors in the immediate proximity to the residential palace, a free space emerged to its rear ‒ just perfect for courtly equestrian contests. Irmisch and Paul Buchner embedded the racetrack into the three-winged estate between 1586 and 1591. One spiral staircase in each of corner of the yard led up to the second upper floor. Opposite the Kanzleihaus, the »Langer Gang« closed the yard off. The 22 arcades can be traced back to Giovanni Maria Nosseni. Initially the gallery of the Wettin ancestors was shown in the oblong hall on the upper floor. From 1731, it served as a gallery of firearms. The stables for keeping the coaches and horses on the ground floor and accommodating noble guests upstairs were built east of the old town wall. After major reconstruction works in the 18th century, it now presents itself as the Johanneum and Transport Museum. The two bronze columns for the jousting date from the time of Renaissance.

Baroque redesign

In the 18th century, the Stable Yard saw some conversion, which were largely reverted during rehabilitation in 1935. Johann Christoph Knoeffel supervised the building of the horsepond in the yard from 1744 to 1746 and the development of the stables into the picture gallery. The yard continued to be used as the venue for courtly amusement, such as tournaments, jousting, coursing and fox tossing.