A new publication celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Casino L’Aliança de Poblenou

Barcelona’s City Hall has published the book L’Aliança del Poblenou, 150 años haciendo historia de Barcelona, a chronic about a casino whose history cannot be separated from that of Poblenou and Barcelona. The publication was presented last monday, November 14th in the Petit Club room of the Casino L’Aliança de Poblenou. 

The book recounts the chronicle of a pioneering entity that was born in 1869, one of the most turbulent years of the 19th century, and has managed to reach the 21st century in one piece. It celebrated its 150th anniversary back in 2019, the year in which the City Council awarded it the Gold Medal for Civic Merit of the city.

The Casino La Alianza del Poblenou was a pioneer in setting up solidarity initiatives at a time public authorities failed to foresee them: it founded one of the first private savings banks, a mutual fund to help members in the event of illness, unemployment or death; day and evening schools for children and adults; the first library in the neighborhood and, in addition, it set up the Floral Games, among other initiatives.

Seemingly, it was responsible for promoting a clandestine coordination of organizations to demand improvements in the neighborhood, opposed the annexation of the municipality of Sant Martí to the greater Barcelona area and fought and won against the Pla de la Ribera.

In the meantime, it was officially a «recreational and cultural» entity that organized dances, plays and zarzuelas, practiced Christian charity, founded Clavé Choirs, played sports and sang the caramellas.

The publication is filled with archive photographs that illustrate many of the activities organized by the Casino throughout its 150 years of existence. 

La autora del libro es la periodista, Maria Favà Compta, especialista en la información de Barcelona. Trabajó  en el Diari de Barcelona, Tele/eXpres y fue una de las fundadoras del diario Avui. Ha estado siempre muy vinculada al barrio de El Poblenou, donde comenzó  a escribir en la revista 4 Cantons y actualmente es miembro  del Archivo Histórico de este barrio y editora de la revista Icària. Ha escrito dos libros sobre Barcelona y ha participado en  varias publicaciones colectivas sobre la ciudad.

The author of the book is the reporter Maria Favà Compta, information specialist in Barcelona. She has worked in the Diari de Barcelona, Tele/eXpres and was one of the founders of the daily Avui. She has always been closely linked to the neighborhood of El Poblenou, where she began writing in the magazine 4 Cantons and is currently a member of the Historical Archive of this neighborhood and editor of the magazine Icària. She has written two books on Barcelona and has participated in several collective publications on the city.

Copies are available for sale at the Etcétera bookshop.