Trakehnen main stud farm

The former main stud complex is located in Yasnaya Polyana in Russia and includes several preserved buildings, among them the renovated equerry's house with museum rooms. The sprawling grounds still show how large the complex once was, even though many original structures were lost or damaged over time.

Frederick William of Brandenburg founded the stud in 1732 to promote horse breeding in East Prussia. Over the following two centuries, the complex grew into one of the most important breeding centers for warmblood horses and shaped riding practices far beyond the region.

The original name Trakehnen comes from a word used by the native Nadruvians and still lives on in the place today. Visitors can see stables and administrative buildings that reflect how important horse breeding was to the region, making the connection between the land and riding traditions easy to understand.

The remaining buildings are protected landmarks, and visitors can explore two museum rooms that offer insight into how the complex was used. Morning light works best for photographs, and sturdy footwear helps when walking around the sprawling outdoor grounds.

After the borders opened in 1992, more than 60,000 visitors came here in the first few years to see the place that had been inaccessible before. Many traveled from Germany to explore the roots of a horse breed that is still known by its old name today.