casinogreat

Discovering Cartagena

More Articles By Phillip Bruce www.raxomnium.com

Casino Looks Great Again

The word “casino” causes plenty of confusion for English-speaking visitors to Spain. They expect to find James Bond playing the baccarat tables, spinning roulette wheels and rows of flashing one-armed bandits.

However, “casino” in Spanish does necessarily denote a gambling establishment. Rather it is the word traditionally used to describe what, in Britain, would be described as a gentlemen’s’ club like the Athenaeum. Games would have been played in these places, occasionally for money, and perhaps that is the reason for the English understanding of the word.

The casinos were very definitely the centre of business and social life for the elite of important cities. Cartagena’s casino stands in the centre of the now-pedestrianised Calle Mayor. The club still functions but the cost of maintaining the beautiful old building over recent years has placed a very heavy burden on finances.

Recently, however, the façade has been impressively restored and returned to its former glory. There is a café at the left front of the building which is a part of the casino. At the right front there is a private salon for members. Visitors can enter the casino and have a look at the ground floor although other areas are private.

The original building dates back to the 18^th century when it was the home of a nobleman – the Marquis of Casatily. The only remnant of this original building is the gray stone entranceway with its impressive coat of arms above. Given the cannons that bristle around the shield, the family must have had a military background.

In 1808, Napoleon’s appointment of his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as King of Spain marked the start of the War of Spanish Independence with Spanish cities and towns rising against the French. On July 4, Britain ended hostilities with Spain and sent forces under Sir John Moore to help the fight against the invader.

On May 23 Cartagena declared for the real Spanish king, Fernando VII, the first place in Spain to do so. A junta was set up and quisling officials were removed, including the chief of the naval forces, Francisco de Borja, the Marquis of Los Camachos. He lived at the house that is now the Casino and a mob gathered outside calling for him to pay for his traitorous support of the French. He tried to slip away but was captured and hung with his body being dragged through the streets of the city. Cartagena and Cadiz were the only major places to hold out against the French throughout the war.

The Casino was founded in 1861 and much work was subsequently carried out to make the old building suitable for use by its prosperous members. Today the fine entrance lobby can be seen with its cool marble tiles, ornate furniture, wall tiles, central open space, impressive staircase and even a set of stained glass panels showing scenes from the adventures of Don Quixote. There is a ballroom at the rear that must have seen many a fine celebration, although currently there are problems with the ceiling.

The impressive façade was commenced in 1900 and it is described as maintaining the style of a Baroque palace while incorporating elements of modernism. The ubiquitous Cartagena architect Victor Beltri was involved. At the top of the façade there are circular lozenges which pay tribute to the activities of members, such as trade, commerce and industry. The big windows from which members observed passers-by were known as “fish bowls.”

There are other fine casinos in cities and towns around Murcia. The grandest of them all is in Murcia where, again, the façade has recently been restored. The rest of the building is currently closed for repairs. Another notable casino can be found in Lorca, in the south of the region.

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Gary Smith Fishing