Picture the scene. You stand before the former Royal Stables of Madrid. These magnificent buildings are gone now. Replaced by the lovely Sabatini Gardens. But for nearly 150 years these stables stood. They housed hundreds of horses and the people who cared for them.
The Caballerizas Reales. What a place it was. Built in 1778 the Royal Stables were a vast complex. Almost a city within a city. They boasted six courtyards. Their long austere Baroque facades were typical of Sabatini’s style. The main entrance was modest but dignified. Located on Calle Bailén this grand entrance welcomed royalty and workers alike.
The stables were built to house up to 500 animals. The upper floors provided living quarters for approximately 500 people. These people were the stable hands grooms and their families. They formed a community within the walls. There were stables in the basement. A horse bath was located in the southwest corner. A small chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony Abbot stood at the heart of the complex. It provided a place of quiet for those who worked there.
Later a large carriage shed was added. This enormous structure had an iron roof. It was built to accommodate the royal carriages. Surprisingly the number of carriages had actually decreased during the Napoleonic War. Yet the structure remained a symbol of imperial power.
It is easy to imagine the hustle and bustle within the Caballerizas Reales. The constant clip-clop of horses’ hooves. The squeak of carriage wheels. The shouts of commands. The sounds of a working stable. All that remains is silence. A silence broken only by the rustling of leaves in the nearby Sabatini Gardens.
Sadly the Caballerizas Reales were demolished in the 1930s. Judged to be architecturally insignificant they were replaced by a park. This was a time of great change in Spain. The new Republic wanted to erase the symbols of the old monarchy. The demolition of the Royal Stables was one part of that. The gardens that now occupy the site serve as a reminder of what once was. A reminder of the horses and people who lived and worked there.
Today as you stand here you can only imagine the grand scale and the vibrant life that once existed within the walls of the Caballerizas Reales. A lost piece of Madrid’s rich history. A history that still resonates within these walls though they are now part of the garden.