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Early Iron Age carriage -

Some of the earliest carriages date back to the Iron Age, constructed by Celtic artisans mainly for ceremonial use. The Dejbjerg Wagon (pictured) is a composite of two ceremonial wagons unearthed in a peat bog in Dejbjerg, Denmark. It's on display at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.

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Bullock carts -

Cattle were often used to pull carts, which became known as bullock carriages. Archaeological evidence dates this mode of transport to as far back as 4400 BCE. The Romans employed livestock to haul materials, as illustrated by this mosaic from the Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily.

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Carriages in antiquity -

The chariots of antiquity essentially became the first modes of two-wheel horse-drawn transport. Remains of chariots have been discovered from the Indus valley civilization. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans all used chariots for warfare. This photograph depicts a basalt relief of the royal chariot from the palace of the 8th-century BCE Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III.

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Use of carriages in China -

In China during the Zhou dynasty (1050–771 BCE), two-wheel horse-drawn carriages were being used for transportation until the decline of these traditional city-states and kingdoms.

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Carriages in the medieval period -

The medieval period saw the carriage evolve into a four-wheel wagon type with a rounded top, over which material was spread to provide privacy and protection from the elements.

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Pageant wagon -

Meanwhile, the pageant wagon was still being used as a mobile stage to accommodate mystery and miracle play cycles and their actors and musicians. These wagons first made an appearance in the 10th century and remained in use until the 16th century.

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The Middle Ages -

For the nobility, carriages had other applications besides being used as a mode of transport. This illustration depicts a ladies' hunting party in the 14th century. Three horses draw a carriage accompanied by several pages and a group of hunting dogs.

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First horse-drawn coaches -

Around 1550, the coach made its first appearance throughout the major cities of Europe. The word "coach" has its origins in the Hungarian town of Kocs where, during the 14th century, a thriving horse-drawn vehicle manufacturing industry was based. Coaches were first used between Budapest and Vienna as a mode of transport for the wealthy and privileged. Soon, however, the coach became a popular means of travel for the general public.

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Regal transport -

It was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that coaches were introduced to England from France. Here, the monarch is seen traveling in suitably regal style on her way to open the first Royal Exchange in London on January 23, 1571.

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"Four poster" carriage -

The 16th century saw the arrival of the "four poster" carriage. Designed to offer more stability, these coaches were heavy and cumbersome, and used mainly for private purposes by monied individuals.

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More horse power -

In 1619, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham introduced the coach drawn by six horses. The coaches were designed to be pulled by teams of horses over long distances.

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Styled for speed -

At the same time, lighter vehicles designed for style and speed were also developed, their performance benefitting from enhanced suspension.

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Mail carriages -

The improvement in the road network in England in the mid-18th century led to the introduction of the mail coach in 1784, providing a combined passenger and mail delivery service. The first mail coach in Britain traveled from London to Edinburgh in about 1785, and to Glasgow in 1788.

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A to B by horse-drawn carriage -

In the 18th and 19th centuries, a wide variety of carriage types were in common use throughout Europe. In Britain, districts in large cities were increasingly being connected by horse-drawn coach. A short but popular route was the City of London-Farringdon service, inaugurated in 1835.

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Horse-drawn cabs -

The horse-drawn cabs known as hackney carriages appeared on London's streets in the late 17th century. They would eventually be replaced by the more popular Hansom cab. Today's iconic London black taxis are still sometimes called hackney carriages.

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The hansom cab -

The hansom horse-drawn carriage was designed and patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York, England. Hugely popular, hansom cabs could be hailed across England, in European cities such as Paris, Berlin, and St. Petersburg, and in the United States, especially in places like New York and Boston. Pictured are hansom cabs in busy Regent Circus (later Oxford Circus), London.

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The cabriolet -

The cabriolet, often referred to as the "gentlemen's carriage," was modeled on the hansom cab, through the design hailed from France. Built for speed and maneuverability, the cabriolet had a folding hood that could cover its two occupants, one of whom was the driver.

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Horse-drawn omnibus -

The hansom cab was eventually replaced by the horse-drawn omnibus, or horsebus. Used for passenger transport before the introduction of motor vehicles, they were ubiquitous throughout Europe and the United States in the late 19th century. Pictured is a horsebus in Sackville Street in Dublin, Ireland.

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The covered wagon -

In the United States, the covered wagon became a symbol of the great 19th-century American migration. Sometimes called a prairie wagon, these carriages were made out of wood and canvas and carried pioneers west along the Mormon Trail and the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. Pictured in Nebraska in 1886 is a family posing with the covered wagon in which they lived and traveled daily.

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The stagecoach -

The stagecoach is another carriage associated with the Old West. Drawn by four horses, stagecoaches were widely used before steam-powered rail transport was available. They were named for the stops made by drivers at stage stations where horses would be replaced by fresh steeds. Pictured is the Echo City stagecoach pausing in Utah Territory, around 1869.

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Gold State Coach -

The undoubted stars of the horse-drawn era were the state coaches built for royalty across Europe. The British royal family in particular is associated with some of the finest ever created. The glittering Gold State Coach was commissioned in 1762 by King George II. The coach was used for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and as part of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in May 2022.

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Scottish State Coach -

The Scottish State Coach was built in 1830 for the Duke of Cambridge to attend the coronation of William IV. It was used for the first time by Queen Elizabeth II in 1969. In 2011, it was employed to chauffeur the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

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Irish State Coach -

The Irish State Coach is the traditional enclosed horse-drawn coach in which the British monarch travels from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament.

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Lord Mayor of London’s State Coach -

The Lord Mayor of London's State Coach is the world's oldest ceremonial vehicle still in service, and has been used in every Lord Mayor's Show since 1757.

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The Speaker's State Coach -

The Speaker's Coach is the oldest of the three great State Coaches of the United Kingdom (the others being the Gold State Coach and the Lord Mayor's Coach). The coach was originally designed for King William III in 1698 and is still in use today. The coach is pictured in 1935 during the Silver Jubilee Procession of King George V and Queen Mary.

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Diamond Jubilee State Coach -

Originally known as State Coach Britannia and made to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach was renamed after its production was delayed, its eventual inauguration coinciding with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. It's since be used for the State Opening of Parliament and for state visits.

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Horse-drawn racing -

Harness racing, in which a horse pulls a two-wheeled cart called a sulky occupied by a driver, became popular in the early 20th century. It remains a huge sport in France and the United States.

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Carriage driving -

Carriage driving is the quintessential horse-drawn carriage sport. While its origins lie in the 19th century, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh helped popularize the sport when he took up the pastime at a competitive level in the early 1970s.

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National Coach Museum, Lisbon -

For a more in-depth look at the history of horse-drawn carriages, visit the National Coach Museum in Lisbon, Portugal, which holds one of the finest collections of historical carriages in the world.

Sources: (The British Monarchy) (Lord Mayor's Show)

See also: Visit these spectacular museums in Europe

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