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Imperial Stables in Kursk

Фото 1
In the 1880s, the zemstvo in Kursk chose a location for a stable on Kondyrevskaya Street (now Dimitrova St., 66), where the estate of the paramedic school had previously been located. The provincial zemstvo administration allocated significant funds for the construction of the factory stable, and on March 18, 1885, peasant Vorobyov began construction work. The construction progressed actively.

The earthworks were carried out almost for free by the mentally ill from nearby charitable institutions. By August of the same year, the construction was completed. In the center of the stable, or depot as it was then called, an almost round stone riding hall was erected, covered with a dome topped with a sharp spire and a figure of a horse. The main gates faced Kondyrevskaya Street, and stone wings of the stables adjoined the riding hall on three sides. A wooden barracks building for the lower ranks with a kitchen and an apartment for the veterinarian was also constructed.

From September 1 to 15, 1885, provincial agricultural and industrial exhibitions were held in this new building and the adjacent houses. Unlike the previous exhibition in 1883 at the Running Field, which consisted of only two sections, these exhibitions featured a greater variety of exhibits.

After the exhibitions, the provincial zemstvo administration leased the building to the main administration of state horse breeding for 2,600 rubles a year, which became a profitable investment. The construction cost the zemstvo 58,000 rubles.

In 1897, the building was expanded by 48 stalls, adding an extension with good interior finishing. Now the stable housed 120-130 horses. In the warm stone building, each stallion was kept in a separate stall, and light entered through windows in the ceiling. Ideal cleanliness and fresh air were maintained in the stable, and a strict feeding regimen was established for the horses. Stallions were groomed twice a day, followed by a half-hour ride in the riding hall.

In 1903, the expanded building hosted another provincial livestock exhibition with auctions and the sale of stallions.

After the October Revolution, the building continued to be used as a stable. In 1919, as Denikin's forces approached, the Kursk State Factory Stable was evacuated to Kaluga Province. There, some horses died from diseases, while others were mobilized to the front. In 1921, 62 stallions remained in the stable, including heavy draft horses and Orlov trotters. That same year, reinforcements arrived from Petrograd, Kamennogorsk, Moscow, and Ostashevo. In 1926, the group of heavy draft horses was supplemented with horses from Belgium, as well as Ardennes, Percherons, and Clydesdales. The main task of the stable was to improve the local breed of peasant horses, which was especially valued during the NEP years.

During World War II, the building was used by the occupiers for a cavalry unit, and it was blown up during their retreat. After the war, the building was restored and expanded for a repair and bearing factory. Since 1971, with the opening of State Bearing Plant No. 20, it became its branch. Currently, a thrust bearing factory operates here.

Geo point

Царские конюшни в Курске

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