Ernst August von Hannover 1983 Hochzeit Ekaterina Malysheva Kutschfahrt innen a

A state coach, also known as a gala coach, is a highly decorative ceremonial

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

used in Europe by a monarch or head of state on state occasions. A four-wheeled vehicle for four passengers, it may be drawn at a walk by six or more horses with

postilion A postilion or postillion is a person who rides a harnessed horse that is pulling a horse-drawn vehicle such as a Coach (carriage), coach, rather than driving from behind as a coachman does. This method is used for pulling wheeled vehicles tha ...

s, or be driven by two or more horses. The term is also used to indicate a formal town coach used by nobility and the wealthy for formal occasions, drawn by a pair of matching horses. A ''state chariot'', also called a ''gala chariot'' or ''dress chariot'', is an elaborately decorated four-wheeled vehicle for two passengers for ceremonial occasions; often the front panel is replaced by a glass panel or windscreen. The word ''

chariot A chariot is a type of vehicle similar to a cart, driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid Propulsion, motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk O ...

'' was used in England, and ''

coupé A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...

'' in France.

Overview

The first state coach was built in the mid-1500s by Walter Rippon for the

State Opening of Parliament The State Opening of Parliament is a ceremonial event which formally marks the beginning of each Legislative session, session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. At its core is His or Her Majesty's "Speech from the throne, gracious speech ...

, and most had been built by 1840. State coaches are still used for royal weddings and other state ceremonial events. State coaches were built by the best

coachbuilder A coachbuilder manufactures bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles. The trade of producing coachwork began with bodies for horse-drawn vehicles. Today it includes custom automobiles, buses, Coach (bus), motor coaches, and passenger car (rai ...

s with excellent craftsmanship and the finest finishes. Most state coaches have large glass windows so that their passengers can be seen by spectators. The interiors are trimmed in silks and the exteriors decorated with elaborate paintings, figures,

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic ac ...

, gilt-work, and

hammercloth A hammercloth is a large decorative piece of heavy weatherproof fabric, often fringed and richly adorned with embroidery, gemstones, and cloth of gold, placed over and around the seat of the coachman of a carriage A carriage is a two- or f ...

s. The

coachman A coachman is a person who drives a Coach (carriage), coach or carriage, or similar horse-drawn vehicle. A coachman has also been called a coachee, coachy, whip, or hackman. The coachman's first concern is to remain in full control of the hors ...

and

footmen A footman is a male domestic worker employed mainly to wait at table or attend a coach or carriage. Etymology Originally in the 14th century a footman denoted a soldier or any pedestrian, later it indicated a foot servant. A running footman deli ...

wear state

livery A livery is an identifying design, such as a uniform, ornament, symbol, or insignia that designates ownership or affiliation, often found on an individual or vehicle. Livery often includes elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or ...

and the horses are harnessed with ornate state harness. Gold State Coach 1-20070917

Many state coaches were constructed to be convertible. They can be driven by a

from a driver's seat in the front, usually covered by an elaborate

, or the seat can be removed and the carriage is guided by

riders and outriders. A carriage arranged for postilion may have "" appended to its name. "Daumont" is a corruption of the French from the 8th

Duke of Aumont Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ...

who preferred this manner of travel. Early state coaches in England were drawn by cream-colored horses of Hanoverian blood. In the early 1920s they were replaced by

black horse Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. It is not uncommon to mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. Black horses have dark brown eyes, black skin, and wholly black hair coats without any areas of per ...

s. Now, teams of grey horses are used for the Sovereign, and

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

horses are used for other passengers. Another type of state coach is the cardinal's coach, which was painted red and used by cardinals.

List of state coaches

Gallery

File:Berlinda da Casa Real - Museu Nacional dos Coches - Lisboa - Portugal (51032221001).jpg, 18th century

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

from France File:Berlin Coupe de Gala Carriage, built for the Royal House of Portugal for the Exchange of Princesses ceremony of 1729, Paris, c. 1727-1729 - Luray Caverns Car and Carriage Museum - Luray, Virginia - DSC01135.jpg, 1729 gala coupé, Royal House of Portugal

Overview

List of state coaches

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

Further reading