Casino de Tenerife

Real Casino de Tenerife is a landmark building in the heart of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and one of the most significant examples of rationalist and art deco architecture in the Canary Islands. Despite its name, it is not a gambling venue but a private social club with more than 180 years of history, still gathering the city's civic and cultural life today.

Where does the club's history begin?

The institution traces back to 1840, when a group of merchants and landowners founded the Gabinete de Lectura y Recreo (Reading and Recreation Cabinet), a society where members met to read the press, hold discussions and play the games of chance permitted at the time. In 1855 the association was renamed Casino de Santa Cruz de Tenerife. By 1860, with Santa Cruz already recognised as the island's capital, around 200 members were renting premises in the Casa Villalba, on the main square, a sign of how quickly the club's social standing had grown.

A further milestone came on 12 November 2009, when the institution was granted the title "Real" (Royal) by former King Juan Carlos I, cementing its prestige and its place in the city's history.

What does the building look like, and who designed it?

The current headquarters, designed by architect Miguel Martín Fernández de la Torre, is considered the finest example of rationalist and art deco architecture anywhere in the Canary Islands. The building has a monumental, cubic form crowned by a slender, prism-shaped tower rising from its main corner, a silhouette that is instantly recognisable in the skyline of central Santa Cruz. Inside, the layout is organised around four courtyards, with the entrance hall and the ballroom standing out as the most representative spaces, still used today for the club's formal events and member gatherings.

Why is this building worth seeing?

Real Casino de Tenerife has been listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Monumento category, Spain's formal recognition of outstanding architectural and historical heritage. For visitors exploring Santa Cruz de Tenerife, it is one of the essential stops in the city centre: even though the interiors remain largely reserved for club members, the building's striking form and tower make it a defining piece of 1930s architecture on the island.

Frequently asked questions

Is Real Casino de Tenerife an actual gambling casino? No. Despite the name, it is a private social and cultural club founded in the 19th century as a meeting place for reading, conversation and games, not a gambling establishment.

Where is the building located? In the historic centre of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

What makes its architecture distinctive? Its monumental, cubic volume topped by a striking prism-shaped tower, built in a rationalist and art deco style regarded as the most representative example of that movement in Canarian architecture.

Is the building legally protected? Yes, it holds the status of Bien de Interés Cultural in the Monumento category, and in 2009 it received the title "Real" from King Juan Carlos I.