Places of interest

Cultural Casino is the current headquarters of the Delegation of the Interior. Originally a palatial house of the Almeria bourgeoisie of the late nineteenth century. Its structure, which follows the historicist models of the time, led to its declaration as a Historical and Artistic Monument in 1982.
The Culture Casino, founded by Joaquin de Vilches in 1840, was definitively taken to El Paseo after considering alternative possibilities. The Culture Casino was established in what was the home of Emilio Perez Ibañez, who had been an important member of the local bourgeoisie in the Restauracion (political period in which the Bourbon Family were again on the Throne 1874-1931). The Project was implemented by Enrique Lopez Rull a very important architect of the time.

Construction, which had several locations in the late nineteenth century and was founded by Joaquin Vilches in 1840, moved permanently in 1905 Paseo, which had been home of Emilio Perez Ibáñez, a leading member of the Almeria bourgeoisie of the period Restoration. It was designed in 1888 by architect Enrique López Rull, very important at the time.

In the 20s of the twentieth century made the building a series of reforms, especially in the ballroom and Muslim ladecoración the “Arab Hall”.

In the Casino had cultural events, it was also a place of social gatherings where the news of the city and related to the situation of the industries and agriculture were discussed local news. It was rather play snooker or chess.

During the Civil War undergoes a partial fire because of the bombing and general neglect. It is renovated in 1940. The building is abandoned between 1950 and 1960, after being acquired by the Government of Andalusia to face the seizure of property.

The facade of the building, which is part of the historicist current, responds to the classic bourgeois model of structure with stone base, which houses the basement, and a monumental doorway crowned with a balcony on the top with classical influences. It has a large hall intended for carriages and artistic staircase railing.

Address: Paseo de Almeria.