Picture the Alter Marstall. Its sandstone facade gleams in the Berlin sun. Ionic columns stand tall. This isn’t just any building. This is Berlin’s only surviving early Baroque utility building.
Built between 1665 and 1670 by Michael Mathias Smids based on a design by Johann Gregor Memhardt it replaced stables destroyed by a fire in 1665. Imagine the scene then. Three hundred horses. Royal carriages. Sleighs. All housed within these very walls. The Alter Marstall was the heart of the Berlin court’s equestrian life. Two inner courtyards existed one used as a riding arena. The scale was immense. The lower floor held stables and carriage houses. Above were living quarters for staff a storage room.
The Alter Marstall has a rich history. It housed Berlin’s first court theater. It also served as the Oberappellationsgericht and the Oberrechnungskammer. After the stables closed in 1920 it became home to the Berlin City Library. World War II damage led to extensive restoration work between 1952 and 1961. Unfortunately some original Baroque wood carvings were lost. The building’s architectural elements remain largely intact. Despite modifications during renovations. It stands as a testament to Baroque architecture’s grandeur.
Today the Alter Marstall is part of a larger complex. It includes the adjacent Ribbeck House. This is Berlin’s last remaining Renaissance building. The two structures were integrated into the Neuer Marstall around 1900. Now the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music thrives within its walls. Continuing Berlin’s legacy of musical excellence. This remarkable building seamlessly blends its past with its present. A symbol of Berlin’s enduring spirit and its rich history. Its story whispers through the stones. A story of horses and royalty of art and learning. A story that continues to unfold. This is the Alter Marstall. A legacy of Berlin.