MY CARRIAGE, BRING MY CARRIAGE!

A carriage was once not only a means of transport, but also a token of prestige and an essential part of society life. Its extensive use on ceremonial occasions and for long journeys led to a boom in carriage building in the 18th century, with large workshops springing up in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Every vehicle was the result of the labour of many craftsmen: carriage-builders, joiners, carvers, blacksmiths, gilders, saddlers, harness-makers and wheelwrights. An exhibition entitled "The Ceremonial Carriage" in the former stable building at Tsarskoye Selo features 32 examples of Russian and European carriages from the 17th and 18th centuries.