The oldest casino in the world – Venetian Casino di Venezia

In the modern view, casinos are the bright lights of tall buildings in Las Vegas, the continuous movement of players and money, and in fact the history of gambling houses did not begin in this way and not there. The first land-based casino, and today it is also the oldest, is located in the Italian city of trade and romance – on the embankment of the Grand Canal in Venice and still welcomes its guests with luxury. The first name Casino di Venezia was different. Built in the 15th century by order of a very wealthy collector, connoisseur of art and a representative of the nobility of Italy – Andrea Loredana, the building was intended to open a theater. This Renaissance palace was designed and built in the truest sense of the word by the architect Mauro Codussi.

The walls of the theater were painted by famous masters, the ceilings were covered with frescoes, and the halls were decorated with paintings by Italian masters of painting, and much of this has survived to this day in its original form. In 1638, the theater was opened, it was called not recklessly – the Theater of St. Moses. But the history of the casino began just then – because during the breaks between performances, the actors and their guests gathered in a separate wing of the building, reserved and designed specifically for gambling. The intensity of passions and the number of players increased very quickly. And demand gave birth to supply The theater of Saint Moses became a casino – Ca ‘Vendramin Calergi. It should be noted that literally within less than a hundred years, more than 120 gambling houses were opened in Venice.Later, the castle became the property of the King of Italy and was a worthy home for the entire royal family. In the middle of the 19th century, the world-famous composer Rihad Wagner fell in love with this place for rest and work – the master often visited here from 1858, visiting it for the first time and until the last year of his life in 1883. Today, a luxurious restaurant with the name The Wagner is open in Casino di Venezia , and since 1995, a museum of this great German composer has been opened on the territory of the casino. In 1946, the city bought the building, reconstructed it, and in 1959 the Renaissance palace was reopened as an officially operating casino and received its new name Casino di Venezia. It retains the original grandeur and sophistication, massive wooden doors, crystal chandeliers and mirrors created by masters from Murano.Today, the Casino di Venezia has everything that guests need for a great holiday, an Italian restaurant, a free boat transfer right to the establishment’s door, a charming private garden overlooking the Grand Canal and, of course, entertainment. Professional dealers in classic tuxedos are ready to offer those who wish to play any game of chance – poker, roulette, Black Jack and halls with more than 600 slot machines. The Casino di Venezia also hosts major events such as the World Poker Tour. The popularity of this casino has not faded for several centuries. The management and each employee of the establishment proudly cherishes the name and reputation of Casino di Venezia. This casino perfectly combines the luxurious classics of architecture and the modern world of the gambling industry. Tourists from all over the world come here every year to see Venice as Wagner himself saw it, cross the city along the Grand Canal and try their luck at the first casino in the world. Casino di Venezia regularly meets world celebrities within its walls. It hosted the oldest international film festival – Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica – Venice Film Festival, Hollywood film companies shot films. The director of the well-known Bond movie – “Casino Royale” drew his inspiration from this particular casino. All guests who have been there consider Casino di Venezia one of the brightest pearls of this legendary city on the water.