Ten thousands of footsteps can be found in Lipica, but this is a place, that is known by horse hoofs.
Lipica is a small place, just outside the town Sežana in the Slovenian littoral. It is a small village with less then 100 inhabitants, but the mare farm is known around the world. Most people see it as a small village lost in the middle of nowhere, but Lipica hosted a number of world known guests, also the British queen Elizabeth II in year 2008.
Mare Farm Lipica
Mare farm Lipica was founded in 1580 by the Austrian Archduke Karel. It was a partially destroyed summer castle, owned by the Trieste Archbishop. The Hapsburg family needed horses, and they choose the Spanish horse, that was known as the best of that time. The climate of Lipica and Karst was similar enough to the Spanish climate, and they controlled the area since the Turkish army left.
A year after Lipica was build it hosted 24 brood mares and 6 studs. As time passed by Lipica was rebuild and it changed. In the time when Emperor Joseph II ruled Austro-Hungarian regions, a barn for the breeding studs was build, a church, and paths for walks were arranged, meadows and forests were prepared.
The famous Lipizzan horse is of course the main guest in Lipica, but they were forced to leave their barns multiple times. In a bold action by the US soldiers right before the end of the 2nd world was tried to protect them from the Red army. They also fled when the army of Napoleon 2nd was approaching. The herd in Lipica was getting smaller and larger, depending on who owned or managed the barns.
Today Lipica is a tourist-equestrian center with large grazing meadows. Tourists can enjoy a tour of the mare farm, see the dressage program, enroll in riding classes or enjoy any other activity that is offered in Lipica. You can see a Avgust Černigoj permanent exhibition, play a round of golf, or relax and bet a Euro or two in the Casino Lipica.
Today Lipica is a tourist-equestrian center with large grazing meadows. Tourists can enjoy a tour of the mare farm, see the dressage program, enroll in riding classes or enjoy any other activity that is offered in Lipica. You can see a Avgust Černigoj permanent exhibition, play a round of golf, or relax and bet a Euro or two in the Casino Lipica.
