Just a few kilometers from downtown Havana, in the Santa Fe neighborhood, the ruins of a casino survive that was once synonymous with luxury, gambling, and private parties.
The Casino de Santa Fe was built between 1929 and 1930. It quickly became one of the most discreet yet popular spots for the Havana elite of the time, welcoming visitors by land and sea.
The building is completely in ruins, overgrown with weeds and saltpeter, but it has once again captured the public's attention thanks to Cuban influencers like Juan Carlos from the YouTube channel Vámonos con Juanka and Yase (@yasevids), who have ventured into what remains of the site and showcased its state of abandonment on social media.
Among the corroded structures, its worn bridge, and almost impassable paths, some original architectural elements can still be distinguished, such as Mudejar-inspired arches, coastal walkways, and remnants of what was once a lavish gaming hall with intricately carved wooden ceilings.
What made the Santa Fe Casino so special?
This casino was built on an artificial islet, in the midst of a mangrove area, near the entrance canal of Santa Fe Lagoon.
Its valuable land reclaimed from the sea had a special geography that shielded the place from prying eyes and unwanted visitors. The natural isolation provided the perfect level of discretion for operating at a time when alcohol smuggling was on the rise due to the Prohibition in the United States (1920-1933).
Private yachts arrived at the casino by sea, coming from Mexico, Panama, and Florida. It is said that many times they would enter after sunset and leave before dawn, avoiding checks and public attention.
Visitors could enjoy the game, Cuban rum, private parties, and other pleasures, away from the scrutiny of the press and Havana authorities.
The main room featured roulette tables, poker tables, bingo, and the first manual slot machines. The building even had a natural ventilation system that expelled cigar and cigarillo smoke through a central skylight.
A monograph on the Casino de La Puntilla in Santa Fe indicates that the establishment was an open secret in the capital, as its existence was never officially acknowledged.
The end of Prohibition in the United States and the growth of family settlements in Santa Fe led to a decline in the appeal of the business. By the late 1930s, it permanently closed its doors as a casino and began to be used for other purposes.
In the 1940s, it was transformed into a popular spa and café, but it did not thrive because there were other more accessible socialization spaces in Havana.
What happened to the Santa Fe Casino after 1959?
The Cuban regime never showed interest in rescuing the building or in telling its story. It was one of those places that did not fit the official narrative, required substantial resources for its upkeep, and was difficult to access; thus, the casino was gradually condemned to oblivion.
Many Cubans believe that the Casino de La Puntilla de Santa Fe could have become a cultural, tourist, or historical space, but it has been a common practice for the government to allow these buildings to deteriorate.
Through the lenses of influencers, many Cubans discovered for the first time the existence of this place, which is not often mentioned in history books or official documentaries.
What was a key point for international tourism and the underground economy in the 1930s is now a stone skeleton, a silent witness to an era of excess, secrets, and smuggling in Cuba.
The Santa Fe Casino was not only a place for gambling and celebration. It was also part of a complex Havana, where glamour coexisted with the forbidden, and where illegal activities fueled a thriving tourism industry that time, along with the regime's poor management, has worked to bury.
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