If you imagined you would be reincarnated as a horse -- you would probably want to be born here.
This madcap idea prompted an 18th-century French prince, Louis-Henri de Bourbon, to
build the most spectacular horse stables in the world.
Legend has it that the wealthy royal commissioned the luxurious Grand Stables in northern France because he believed he would be born again as a horse -- and not just any old royal box would do.
At more than 180 meters
long -- roughly the same size as two soccer fields -- the stables at
Chantilly are not only a spectacular feat of architecture, they're also
home to a famous collection of equine artworks and the rarest ponies on
the planet.
This weekend the Grand Stables -- and its adjoining Museum of the Horse
-- will again be unveiled to the world as part of a $3.3 million
makeover led by the fourth Aga Khan, both a business magnate and the
spiritual leader of 20 million Nizari Ismaili Muslims.
"It will be one of the
few museums in the world totally dedicated to the horse, in all aspects
of life," His Highness Prince Karim told CNN of his grand project.
Rescued relic
Built almost 300 years
ago, in 1719, the Grand Stables was one of the most breathtaking
buildings in the world, housing a whopping 250 horses and 300 hunting
dogs on the manicured lawns and lakes of the opulent Chantilly Estate.
In the evenings, Prince
Louis-Henri hosted sumptuous dinners under the building's monumental
dome, which soars 28 meters high.
But by the turn of the 21st century, the stables and museum had become a dusty shadow of their former glory.
"It was the most stunning building built for horses in the world," Benoit Junod, director for museums and exhibitions at the Aga Khan Development Network,
told CNN. "The prince was a cousin of the king and I think he wanted to
create something which would rival the Palaces of Versaille.
"But in recent years it
was falling into disrepair -- there were problems with water seepage
from the lake, the roof needed to be repaired."
That was until Prince Karim -- a renowned horse owner and breeder, perhaps most notably of Shergar -- invested his fortune in an ambitious project to transform the sad old relic into a world-leading equine exhibition.
"The mayor came to me
and said, 'Would you join us in financing the saving of Chantilly's race
course?' said the Aga Khan, who has had an office in the area for "many
many" years.
Treasure trove
Inside the
elegant museum is a remarkable collection of hundreds
of paintings, sculptures, and curios, depicting everything from mythical
horses to racing thoroughbreds.
The building's 17
garages, which originally housed elegant carriages in the 1700s, have
been converted into gallery rooms and a café.
"We have a crazy mixture of everything from British artist Norman Thelwell's cartoons to major works of art by 15th-century renaissance painters," said Junod.
"You have a lot of horse
museums around the world which deal with certain aspects -- such as
racing or equipment. But nothing which has the ambition to tackle the
extraordinary history and beauty of the horse in full."
But it's not just rare
artworks attracting 160,000 visitors a year. Also referred to as the
"Live Horse Museum," the lush green estate is home to more than 30
breeds of horses -- including the only one of its kind in Europe.
Among the cantering
thoroughbreds and Shetland ponies is 10-year-old Dilraj -- the first and
only Marwari horse to step foot on the continent.
It was the most stunning building built for horses in the world
Benoit Junod, Aga Khan Development Network
Benoit Junod, Aga Khan Development Network
The Marwari are
descendants of horses used by ancient Indian warriors, known for the
courage in battle and distinctive inward-curving ears.
No comments:
Post a Comment