Photography Horse Racing Track

• Skušek's Collection (SEM)
• Slovene Ethnographic Museum

A black-and-white photograph showing visitors to the horse racing track at the French embassy or legation in Beijing’s Legation Quarter (Dongjiaominxiang 東交民巷). Between 1861 and 1959, the latter was established in the area of the Inner City (Neicheng 内城), east of present-day Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang 天安門廣場), and south of the Forbidden City (Gugong 故宫 or Zijincheng 紫禁城). The hippodrome was located at the far eastern edge of the legation along Chongwenmen Street (Chongwenmen Dajie 崇文門大街), which was called Hademen Street 哈德門 by foreigners and locals alike. The photograph shows a gathering in one of the huts next to the racecourse.

The photograph is the 63rd of 449 photographs of Beijing and its surroundings in the album of Ivan Skušek Jr., purchased during his stay in Beijing (1914–1920). In the handwritten inventory of the album, the photograph is referred to as Renn-Platz. (DZ, MV)

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