Transport has always been a fundamental human need and the carriage is one of the oldest modes of transport. The creation of the carriage coincides with the invention of the wheel and it seems that the people of Mesopotamia, the Sumerians and the Hittites were the first to use it. In ancient Greece, the commonest type of carriage was the chariot. In modern times, the carriage was used specifically as a means of transport until the spread of rail networks. Nowadays, however, it is used as a traditional means of transport especially for rides and sight-seeing tours around landmarks such as those in Corfu.
Coachmen used to be much in demand but now it is a profession that is gradually disappearing. The first human-powered carriages were soon eclipsed for obvious reasons of manual strain by horse-drawn carriages which have remained popular to this day.
It may seem that the job of a coachman is easy and effortless; nothing could be further from the truth. A coachman needs to wake up very early in the morning, at sunrise, to set up the horse. The horse needs to be washed with special disinfectants and then be dried. Then its hoofs need to be polished. A special ointment needs to be applied to all accessories for the horse and the coach such as the harness, horse collar, pack saddle, crupper, headstall and bit reins. Then, long hours and fatigue await the coachman and the horse as they are both exposed to the elements during a day’s work.
At the end of the day, the horse needs to rest and be fed and the carriage needs to be washed and cleaned. Every carriage is unique and bears its own history on its decorative markings and motifs which in many cases have been lovingly applied and collected by the coachman. The care of the carriage’s adornments such as the leather seats, the shiny brassware, lanterns as well as the decorative fringes and charms on the horse and of course the horse’s straw hat is the coachman’s responsibility.
In Corfu town, in the central square of the island, from April until October or even on some mild winter days, you can enjoy a relaxing and unique carriage ride experience that harks back to old days, reviving the old-style glamour of the island’s aristocrats who used carriages for their daily transport and visits as well as for their social events. Even today, for many weddings it is quite common for the bride to go to the church in a carriage and many couples choose for their after-wedding photos to be photographed in a carriage in front of the old Palace. Moreover, a ride around the landmarks of the town, includes a guided tour by the coachman who will point out the sights and answer all your questions. A carriage ride is an unmissable tourist experience and the coachmen are pleasant, welcoming, gregarious and well-informed, guaranteeing a perfect sight-seeing ride.
These coachmen take us back to a romantic past, a time that has gone forever. So visitors and locals alike can entrust their free time with a carriage ride and support the old and rare profession of a coachman and ensure a good and useful life for the coachman’s tireless companion.
Corfu Coachmen Union Tel: 26610 24162
By Spyros Anthis
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