History

The Círculo Ecuestre was founded on 26th November 1856, when a group of illustrious gentlemen of Barcelona, all horse riding aficionados, decided to set up a private club to share their common interest.

The first Chairman of the Círculo was Mr. Jaime Plà, Chairman, at that time, of the Círculo del Liceo.

The first location of the Círculo was in the harbour street of San Pablo. By the end of 1860, four years after its foundation and thanks to its excellent reception by the society of the time, the Círculo moved to number 10, Rambla de Santa Mónica. The then Chairman, the Marquis of Santa Isabel, was an outstanding promoter of all kinds of social and recreational activities.

Quickly the interest in the Círculo started to grow. It was a club known for receiving very respectable and well-to-do personalities of the time. The facilities were becoming too small due to the continuous increase in its membership and the club moved again to number 14, Plaza Catalonia on 25th May 1907, where it started a new phase of its life under the Chairman Mr. José Masana Tarrés.

The first article of the new Statutes approved that “the purpose of the Círculo Ecuestre is to promote social life in all its manifestations of culture, arts and sport and, among those, especially riding”

In view of the three moves, and the possibility of more, the members pressed and called to have their own modern and stately building in accordance with its status. Mr. Alberto Rusiñol approved the purchase of two houses on the avenue Passeig de Gràcia to construct the new building. It was a spectacular construction that opened on 26th October 1926. His Majesty King Mr. Alfonso XIII presided at the ceremony. The building was luxurious and comfortable, as well as having a Roman-style swimming pool.

With the Civil War, the Círculo Ecuestre fell into ruin until after the war. Then, in an attempt to recover its former splendour, it established itself in a new location: the definitive one.

On 12th June 1950, the Círculo Ecuestre set itself up in its present location: the small old modernist palace ‘Casa Pérez Samanillo’, built by the architect Juan José Hervás Arizmendi in 1910. Mr. Santiago Güell y López, Baron Güell, who had been Chairman of the institution since 1936, presided.

The first centenary of the Círculo Ecuestre was celebrated in 1956 in an optimistic atmosphere with great reception from the media. The club has had a long and successful existence and the year 1989 can be seen as a phase of transformation, with the appointment of a new board of directors, with Antonio Eyre as Chairman and Carlos Güell de Sentmenat and Mario Pifarré as Vice-Chairmen. A number of outstanding personalities from the business and financial fields in Barcelona also joined as board members. They undertook an ambitious project of reform and restoration of the building, to adapt it to the needs of its more than 1500 members.

In 1992, the extension and restoration works were finished, and a new phase began, with a board of directors chaired by Mr. Carlos Güell de Sentmenat.

From December 2002 until November 2008, has been President Mr. Manuel Carreras Fisas., during his premiership the Círculo Ecuestre has extended its headquarters to 6000 m², increasing its potential for service with modern facilities and new spaces, in addition to a completely new building for residential use.

The result has been an excellent range of gastronomy, boosting activities in which the members can participate, the sports and leisure facilities and creating an unbeatable atmosphere.


Since November 2008 the President is Mr. Borja García-Nieto Portabella.