Dresden Stable Yard
The Stallhof, the Dresden Stable Yard, is a courtyard of the Residenzschloss, built from 1586 to 1591 as a riding and tournament ground for the Saxon court.
What it is
The yard lies in the centre of Dresden's old town, enclosed by the Johanneum, the Residenzschloss and the Kanzleihaus. The stable building on the east side of the yard became the court's picture gallery in the 18th century and is today the Johanneum.
On its north side the yard is closed by the Langer Gang (Long Passage), a range with an arcade towards the yard. The Fürstenzug, the porcelain-tile mural of the Wettin rulers, is on the outer side of the Langer Gang, facing the street.
Since 1993 the Stallhof has been run by the state palaces organisation, today Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen.
History
The Stallhof was finished in 1591 under Elector Christian I. Its builders were Landbaumeister Hans Irmisch and the master builder Paul Buchner.
The court held tournaments, hunts and ring-jousting here, and two bronze columns from which riders took rings with the lance still stand in the yard. The arcade has 22 round arches, probably designed by Giovanni Maria Nosseni, who also designed the bronze columns.
Changes made to the yard in the 18th century were largely undone in a restoration in 1935.