Casino de la Arrabassada, Barcelona

Partway along the Carretera de la Rabassada (or Arrabassada), heading towards Sant Cugat, on your right you come across the remains of what was once a hotel and later a grand casino: the Casino de La Rabassada.

The hotel, surrounded by mountainous terrain, was built in 1899 and became one of the most glamorous places in early 20th-century Barcelona. In 1911, after a few alterations, the hotel became a casino and took over a large part of the grounds to build an amusement park. The newspapers of the day advertised it like this: ‘… Private casino. Various games. Luxury restaurant. American rides. Scenic Railway, Cake Walk, Rowling Halleys. Admission 0.50 pesetas…’ The most popular rides were the roller coaster and the splash ride.

The money invested in the complex was never fully recovered. Under the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera gambling was banned, and the casino fell into disuse and became a barracks for the carabineros (the customs and border guard). Finally, around 1938, with no transport line to reach it, it was left completely abandoned.

They say many people lost their fortunes there, and took their own lives on the spot rather than confess such a disgrace.

Today all that is left is part of the façade of what was once the showy entrance to the casino and hotel.

You can also see the cellars and the odd tunnel from the roller coaster. But what has stood the test of time with most dignity, and the first thing the curious visitor comes across on arriving, is the Bel vedere tower. It was reached by a platform that no longer exists, and it looks out over the forest, which over the years has swallowed up almost all the buildings and rides that once stood there.

These days the tower is home to whoever is quickest off the mark, and we had the chance to meet its current tenant, Andrei, and the previous one, Alex, who happened to drop by, curious to see who was lucky enough to be living in that place of fairies and goblins. Alex told us that when he lived there, some three years earlier, he used to act as a guide for anyone brave enough to stir up the past and explore the place. At the end of the tour he’d ask for whatever people wanted to give, and he did pretty well out of it.

If you go up there, I’d recommend saying hello to Andrei, who is Russian, and asking him for some information. Maybe he knows a bit more than I’ve told you…

Here’s a link in case you’d like to see more photos of the Casino de la Rabassada as it is today, and a link to a video of the Casino.

View Casino de la Rabassada in a larger map