TLDR: Carriages are fancy vehicles that people used to ride in, pulled by horses. They were like taxis in the olden days. Nowadays, carriages are still used for special events and tourism in some places.

Carriages are private vehicles that were used to transport people. They were usually pulled by horses, but there were also carriages that were pulled by oxen. Carriages had four wheels and were often made with leather strapping and steel springs for a smoother ride. Some carriages had two wheels and were more informal, usually driven by the owner.

Coaches are a special type of carriage with four corner posts and a fixed roof. They were used for transportation and were the forerunners of modern carriages. In the 21st century, horse-drawn carriages are occasionally used for public parades and traditional ceremonies. There are also simplified modern versions made for tourist transport in warm countries. And there are metal sporting versions made for competitive driving.

Carriages have a long history, dating back to ancient times. They were used by different civilizations, including the Romans, Chinese, and Egyptians. In medieval times, carriages were typically four-wheeled wagons with a rounded top. They were often used by royalty and aristocrats and could be elaborately decorated. In the 17th and 18th centuries, carriages underwent further innovations with the introduction of steel springs and better road surfaces.

Today, carriages are still used for day-to-day transport in some places, like the Amish community in the United States. They are also used for tourism in cities like Bruges, Vienna, and New Orleans. There are also carriage collections in museums around the world, where you can see different types of carriages from different time periods.

So, carriages were fancy vehicles that people used to ride in, pulled by horses. They were like taxis in the olden days. Nowadays, carriages are still used for special events and tourism in some places.