Stallhof

In the shadow of the Baroque

The Stallhof is one of the few remaining artefacts of the glittering renaissance era in Dresden. As the venue for "courtly tournaments" in which competitors had to display skill and sportsmanship, it still attracts visitors today.

The Stallhof is somewhat overshadowed by the famous Dresden building, the "Kurfürstliche Reissige Stall". But it is nonetheless one of the last remaining buildings from Dresden's glittering renaissance era. Even at the time of its construction it attracted a great deal of praise.

It was completed in 1591 under the Elector Christian I., and the Stallhof served as the venue for courtly tournaments, coursing and jousting. Two bronze pillars designed by Giovanni Maria Nosseni are reminders of this courtly display of skill, in which competitors tried to spear a suspended ring with a lance.

It is an unexpected view which presents itself to visitors between Johanneum, the Lange Gang, Georgenbau and the Kanzleihaus. The Tuscan style arcade gallery of the Lange Gang, decorated with trophies and reliefs of coats of arms is representative of the Southern German late Renaissance style. The 102m long Procession of Princes is on the external side of the Lange Gang. Originally made in Sgrafitto technique, today it consists of 25,000 Meissener porcelain tiles.