The Literary Cabinet
One of the most impressive buildings of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Located in the city’s probably most beautiful place, the Cairasco Square, the building provides a comfortable café, a newspaper archive, a library, event halls as well as an art gallery.
The building’s remarkable and exquisite style shows very well the citizens’ upcoming wealth at the time of its construction. The ballroom’s ceiling is decorated with impressing paintings.
The Gabintete Literario was founded in the first half of the 19th century and lies between Cairasco Square and Alameda de Colon Square. On December 17, 1842, after the Cabinet’s founder had struggled for a long time for its realization, 50 of Las Palmas most important society members signed the contract which finally paved the way for the Gabinete Literario’s realization. Lawyers, business people, doctors, politicians and further important people of various professional guilds were supporting the project.
Eventually, the Literary Cabinet has been founded on Friday, March 1st, 1844 during a meeting that lasted over three hours. Members of the founding meeting were: Robert Houghton, Miguel Arbonies, Diego Swanston, Jorge Swanston, Tomas Miller, Juan Parkinow, Rafael Massieu, Jose M. Garcia, Eduardo Wood and several others. The names already reveal that many different nationalities were present when founding the Gabinete Literario. Furthermore, it wasn’t coincidence that many Englishmen took part for England was an important trading partner and had thus much influence on Las Palmas at that time.
The first president of the Cabinet was thus also English: Robert Houghton had finally settled down in Las Palmas since having plenty of business there. At the time, many foreign traders were involved in exporting wine, bananas and tomatoes. Seed trade (especially cochineal), with which Houghton also used to trade, reached its peak in the middle of the 19th century.
The Gabinete Literario’s original purpose, according to the founding meeting, was to provide English, Spanish and French newspapers and literary works for its members. Besides the intellectual input the Gabinete’s members soon found pleasure in gambling and other social activities since it distracted from business life.
Since its foundation the Gabinete’s members annually elect their president, the first of which was Robert Houghton. Several citizens’ groups, associations and organizations were ‘born’ in the Gabinete, like the Sociedad Filarmonica in 1854, which is thus one of the oldest of its kind in Spain.
At the beginning, the Gabinete Literario association rented the building of the former Cairasco theater and bought the entire complex later on. At the end of the 19th century the Gabinete’s walling as well as its interior have been fully renovated to retain its original splendor. In 1917 the building has been enhanced with the Salon Dorado (golden hall) and the Salon de Baile (ballroom), planned by the architect Joaquin Prats.
In the same year the building has also been enriched with a new façade, designed by the architects Fernando Navarro and Rafael Massanet. The front’s unique architecture has been accentuating Las Palmas’ looks impressively. Its artistic windows, two graceful towers and exotic domes stand out in particular. The columns at the main entrance still remind of the former Cairasco theater.
Doubtlessly, the Gabinete Literario is one of the magnificent buildings in the city and convinces not only with its beautiful façade but also with its exceptional interior. The former auditorium has been successfully turned into today’s big waiting hall whose doors show modern features. Elegant and wide stairways lead directly to another one of the Gabinete’s treasures: the Salon Dorado (Golden Room). The room has been designed in the French style and was used for events like dancing parties, ceremonies and conferences of the Gabinete’s founding members. The Salon Dorado’s ceiling is embellished with three huge paintings by Manuel Gonzales Mendez. The paintings illustrate mythological scenes: Apollo, Orpheus and Thalia symbolize the Fine Arts.
On the same floor the Salon Rojo (Red Hall) distinguishes itself in being stylistically rather strict. Here, numerous portraits can be found, such as of the Gabinete’s first presidents and several other politically and culturally important people like Viera y Clavijo, Lujan Perez, Benito Perez Galdos etc. Next to the Salon Rojo is another room where several oil-paintings by the Catalan painter Eliseo Meifren Roig wait to be admired. The artworks display the painter’s influential stay in Las Plamas.
During the 20th century countless exhibitions and artist meetings were taking place which supported and recorded the development of Canarian art.
Equipping the own library and study has already been aimed at when founding the Gabinete Literario. Since the early days it has been a custom that every new member of the association donates a book to the library, which counts more than 12,000 books today.
Location and Contact
Address: Plazoleta Cairasco, Triana
Opening Hours
Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed on public holidays!
