Kobilarna Lipica

contents: lipica . stud farm . heritage

Points of interest and attractions

The oldest site plan of the Lipica estate dates back to 1817. A comparison with today’s area of the cultural monument reveals that the boundary of the area is identical to that of 1817. Back then, the estate was surrounded by a dry-stone wall which has been preserved until today. It is slightly taller than the characteristic Karst dry stone walls.

The estate is criss-crossed by several routes and roads with main boulevards winding in the shade of centenary trees. These tree-lined routes start with sculptured portals which symbolically mark the entrances to the estate. Today, they are lined with white wooden fences to keep the horses away from traffic. All the fences in Lipica have the same design and are a distinctive feature of the Lipica Stud Farm.

Water has always been of vital importance to the farm and was collected in 'Karst ponds', made from dolines. Once, seven large ponds in the estate were used for watering the horses, but after the water supply system had been established they became redundant and only three survived.

The value of the man-made landscape is continually evolving, defined by the main activity – the breeding of noble horses. Its value is also reflected in the appearance preserved throughout the past four centuries. This landscape has always differed from the surrounding area. In the past it was a green oasis in the dry Karst region, while today it is a cultivated 'island' in the middle of an area which is no longer dry, but abundant with Karst flora.

The core of Lipica has been developed on the remains of the buildings of the former estate of the Bishop of Trieste. The key element of the settlement was the manor and the pertaining area around which the ‘Hof’ developed. The road from the direction of Trieste led through a triumphal arch on the right of the portal of ‘Velbanca’ – the main stable and architecturally the most accomplished building of the old core. Outside the ‘Hof’ are an inn, a chapel and other stables.

The historical core of Lipica was completed in the first decades of the 18th century. In addition to the manor and ‘Velbanca’, it also encompassed a storehouse for grain called 'Magacin' and small houses around the courtyard. To the south of the ‘Hof’ there was a chapel and, where there is an inn today, a chaplaincy. In this period there were already some buildings erected on the location of today’s stables called ‘Na borjači’. In the 19th century expansion took place towards the south-east and the jubilee stable called ‘Abrihtunga’ was built. The centre of the estate thus moved from the elevated area where the old core is located in the direction of the village of Lokev. On the location of the present ‘Borjača’ new buildings were constructed to the south-east. In 1852 the stables called 'Na borjači’ and a riding hall were built, while in 1898 and 1899 the stable called ‘Abrihtunga’ was erected. There is another, slightly remote stable along the Trieste axis which was built in 1819. In the 1970's a new riding hall had been built behind ‘Abrihtunga’ with a smaller riding hall complete with stables. The hippodrome was built in 1977. All of the above buildings were used solely for horses and for working with them. The entire activity was concentrated in this area which is the largest land plot with buildings, as besides the stables there is also an outdoor area for equestrian events and working with the horses.

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